When Friends are TrueA Vampire Miyu Saga
by Omega Devin
Summary: Chapter 29: A ray of hope shines for the Shinma when Larva returns to the battle with Caial's weakness, but things only end up going from bad to worse...very, very worse...
1. Mysterious Beings

Disclaimer and Notes: Please Read First

Please keep in mind that the original characters of Vampire Princess Miyu belong to their creators and publishers. We are not making money from this.

As a few notes this in particular story in being based off the Shin (New) Vampire Princess Miyu manga. This fanfic will take the general story line of Vampire Miyu and extend it to heights that pervious authors have not taken before. As far as we known, this has never been done with this particular anime/manga/OAV before. Hopefully it will inspire others to writing fanfics like it. Much praise goes out to authors of Vampire Miyu fanfiction, but this story will focus more on than banishing the stray Shinma to the Dark. Many of our own ideas will be introduced in this story, so if anyone has any questions to them or if something was not clarified well enough, let us know.

This fanfic will parody a few others animes, such as Princess Mononoke, Ranma _Nibun-No-Ichi_, Magic Knight Rayearth, Neon Genisis Evangelion and the series The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. These also belong to their creators and publishers.

As a warning, this story contains graphic violence, strong language and "lemon" or "ecchi" jokes throughout. We will not apologize to those who are offended by this. If any content does offend anyone in language or "lemon" or "ecchi" jokes, please do not read it. We will not take it off because of this. Persons who enjoy this anime have a right to enjoy this story. In other words, recommended for mature audiences only; you have been warned.

We kept many terms used in this story as the original Japanese words, which are italicized, such as _Kanshisha_ (Guardian), _Mashujutsu_ (The Dark Exorcism) as well as a few others. This also goes for the language of the Chinese Shinma, which is purely fictional. One mistake that we repeatedly scorn ourselves for is the incorrect pronunciation when Miyu says "Larva". Since he has a Latin name, technically she would not be able to pronounce it correctly. It would come out more as "Laba" or "Lava" or something along those lines. The same goes for the other Japanese Shinma, but the story was too far along before we realized this mistake.

The font styles have been changed for certain types of speech. Thoughts are also italicized, and the voices of the Elders are all in small caps and beings of a greater importance are italicized small caps.

There are some other fanfictions that we have we have written, but they are more of "Spamfics". These were actually written by our friend, Arachnophiliac, so she deserves the credit for those. These include a few characters from the When Friends are True series. It would be more recommended reading the first few chapter of the fanfic before reading the Spamfics. 

We thank our friends Web Countess Kei, Amy (Olymia) and Shiromori for their support and inspiration.

Enjoy the story!

Kyheena, Pandaran, Arachniphiliac, and Kitsune182.

Chapter One

Mysterious Beings

Night always gave humans a feeling of uneasiness and fear. It gave undesired feelings of cold and darkness. The stars that shimmered above like crystals suspended in the unending inky blackness, and the moon that shone like molten silver emitted an eerie feeling. Nights were always cold and lonely. It made humans feel unsafe and vulnerable. They dreaded night, always seeking shelter before the last rays of the sun disappeared over the horizon. Nights were evil, nights were death. Things lurked in the darkness that the human eyes could not see, that would make the fur of cats rise and bird in the trees cease their songs. These unseen creatures were evil too, and would take a life without a second thought. Humans always hated the night. 

But humans were always strange creatures. But they were a young race, also. What did they know? Unlike humans, Shinma liked the night. It gave them a sense of security and comfort, the only time that they did not have to fear of being seen in their true forms. Humans could not discover what they were at night. The only memory that they could recall after an encounter was a fuzzy as a forgotten dream. If they survived, in that case. 

Humans were strange. They never could comprehend the existence of any other type of superior beings other than themselves. Situations became worse when demons were seen as evil. Many careless Shinma have lost their lives to hangings and burnings when humans found out what they were. Deaths like that could not happen, which was why humans that knew had to be done away with. A small amount of the human population who did know was not a very big deal, since most were sworn to secrecy not to tell of what they knew. But if the entire race knew, then Shinma were going to be hunted down and killed. Yet they still intended to go to the human world, some for mere curiosity, some for darker purposes. Something had to be done to keep the humans from finding out about the race that lived parallel to them.

That is where the vampires came into place. No one can remember why there is only one vampire left in all of the different worlds, nor who gave them the job and name "Shinma hunters", but they were always the ones who could send the wandering ones back to their proper places. It was the vampires who made sure that the humans never learned of the Shinma. It was because of the human fear of the darkness and night that the vampires started calling the Japanese Shinma Realm "the Dark". Vampires were the strongest Shinma in the entire Japanese Spirit Realm. The only others who could be compared to their strength, though they were not even a fraction as strong, were the elders of the Japanese Shinma Realm. Humans gave them the names they are most commonly known by; most Shinma wondered why they were stuck with such derogatory names that the stupid creatures stuck them with. Vampire was rooted from an ancient tongue that meant blood-sucking demon. Not directed towards the true vampires, it was given to the Shinma who drained the lives of humans for nourishment. Since true-blooded vampires were only born once a few generations, there were many wandering Shinma in the earth realm, leaving a very large task for the vampires until the next hunter was born. They were guardians, who protected their world and people from any threats that may bestow on them. The elders and the Shinma who knew the dangers the human's world held for them respected vampires.

Miyu, on the other hand, was a different story. The daughter of a non true-blood vampire mother and a human father, her parents wanted to make sure that she would never know the life she was destined to know and fulfill. Since she was raised as human, the Shinma do not accept her. Since she is a vampire, humans do not accept her. She is the last of her kind, and caught in a constant emotional struggle between two worlds, in the eternal age of thirteen, of what she was and what she is destined to become. The only one to help her though this constant conflict is her friend, companion and guardian, Larva, from the Western Shinma Realm. Miyu cared for him with all her heart, for his embrace and comforting words were the only thing that would help ease the pain that Miyu felt from loneliness and pain. 

Miyu, like most of the past vampires, was neither day nor night, black or white. Miyu was twilight, a shade of gray, which were always a mid point of dark and light. For a very long time, the Shinma of both the Japanese Realm and the Western Realm though of Miyu as a normal vampire, the huntress of the Shinma who was not to rest until all the wandering ones were sent back to the Darkness. They had no idea how truly special she would be.

Dawn was coming later this time of year, the peak of the sun barely above the horizon as Miyu walked to school that fateful October morning. The air was cool, but the wind was frigid as it rose and fell, moving the dead leaves that lay on the ground and shuffled at Miyu's ankles. The shadows that the early light cast were long and dark. She walked alone, as she usually did, but she liked it that way. It gave her time to think before she spent the day talking to the acquaintances that sat by her in classes, trying to keep up with conversation of the human world. It was also the time before she had to put up with the lackeys who always wanted to copy her homework and try to flatter her by saying how smart she was. She barely even noticed the other school children that ran past her, greeting their friends that they had not seen since the afternoon before. Miyu had no true friends. She tried not to think about it; the subject was too depressing. She had not had any friends since she "awoke" as a vampire, and she had to change schools to often to make any new ones since then. 

Something was different about this morning; she could feel it on the breeze. As she walked down the street, closer to the school Miyu nearly ran into someone stepping out from an adjacent corner. "Oh, sorry about that." She said quickly, looking at the person she had run into. She was a tall girl, probably a good seven inches taller than Miyu, slender with an exceptionally large bust, with long black hair that hung past her waist and dark, tilted eyes. She was not alone. There were four others with her, another girl and three guys. The other girl was about the same height as the first with the same build, though her hair was dark brown and tied into a braid nearly as thick as Miyu's wrist and bright green eyes that sparkled in the early morning light. One of the boys had the same face characteristics of the black-haired girl dark eyed with the bangs at the left side of his part hanging in front of his eyes, and Miyu guessed that maybe they were somehow related. One of the boys was a little shorter than the rest and had shaggy, dirty-blonde hair that hung over her eyes. Miyu had never seen anyone as tall as the third boy; he must have been at least six and a half feet tall with short, semi-curly black hair and hard dark eyes. They were all wearing the same school uniforms as the students did at the school Miyu was now attending. Miyu had never seen these people before, even in the short time that she had been at this school.

"Don't worry about." The girl said. "Just remember it's more effective to look ahead of you than at the ground when you're walking." They turned and left.

They're not human, Miyu thought to herself. When she had run into the girl, she had felt a chill run up her shine. That was odd. It had never happened before. Every time she was close to a Shinma in disguise she had felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. In all the years she had been hunting down Shinma, from how many she had met on the streets or the current school she was enrolled in, she had never felt a chill. She shook her head and continued walking. 

After the many years she had been transferring from junior high school to junior high school, she decided to try something new to break the monotony of her life. Enrolling in a high school sounded interesting. It was much different from a junior high; the school was bigger, there were more classes and more homework, there were more people, and the students were older than what she was used to. Despite all the changes, Miyu had no problem working her way up to the top of her class, as she had been doing since she was human herself. There were many Shinma here posing as either students or staff, though many were not interfering with the human's lives. Work was slow, these days.

Miyu took her seat in her second period history class and was startled when someone poked her right between the shoulder blades. Again, she got the weird chill down her spine. She turned around in her chair and found herself eye-to-eye with the black-haired girl. Though with her raven black hair and pale skin, the eyes did not seem to go well with her complexion. "Hey. We ran into each other on the way to school today, remember?"

"Yes, I remember." Miyu answered. She did not know if she wanted to talk to her or not.

"My name's Kia, Inaru Kia. What's yours?"

"Yamano Miyu."

"Boy, you're not much of a talker, are you? How's this class?"

Miyu was not sure if she was offended by Kia's words or not. "It's alright, I guess, if you like history. Jinai-sensei is kind of strict. Did you just transfer here?"

"Yes, just today. Actually, the whole group I was with did. Today's our first day. We met in the administration office this weekend, so we agreed to go to school together on the first day." Kia explained. The bell went off, and the students took their seats. Miyu turned back around in her seat. Situations were still odd; usually the bolder Shinma would address her as "Shinma hunter" as soon as they met her and Kia did not seem at all shy.

Two of the boys showed up in Miyu's study hall the next period, the one who resembled Kia and the dirty blonde. Unlike Kia, they did not approach her for an immediate introduction. The boy with the black hair was definitely related to Kia; his name was Inaru Yoshi. The second boy was named Ottoshi Ryuko. They occupied the last empty seats in the far corner of the class and stayed there. Miyu felt relieved; she did not like those odd chills. She instead spent the period listening to the girls around her whisper about how cute the two new students were, and what Miyu thought of them. They were pretty in their own way, but both were… well… dorks. The class was supposed to be quiet during this time, but the two of them spent to entire period flicking a paper football back and forth and whispering "goal" loudly enough for the whole class to hear, angering the teacher. Miyu could already tell they were naturally class clowns.

Miyu did not see them again until the second to last period of the day, which was physical education. Kia and Yoshi were in her class, along with the second girl. The physical education was also more difficult than what she was used to. After intense warm-ups, the class was sent on a quarter mile run and then spent the rest of the period running the obstacle course. After many years chasing down Shinma, Miyu had no problem with the assignments and she was soon done. The new students were also very quick, and they finished a little bit ahead of her. Miyu decided to talk to them with the remaining time left in the class.

The two girls were seated on the grass near the fence of the obstacle course. Despite the sweat on their faces, they did not seem to mind the heat of the day. Other students who finished retired under the sparse shade inside the course from the trees on the outside the chain-linked fence. The other girl was dressed in the regular girl's physical education clothing: a moderately tight shirt and snug gym shorts. Kia was dressed in the boy's attire; loose fitting shorts and shirt. Yoshi was no where to be seen. Kia looked up as Miyu approached them, squinting against the sun. "Hey, Miyu. Sorry I didn't see you before." She said. "Would you like to sit down?"

"Yes, thank you." Miyu answered, taking a seat on the dead yellow grass.

"Miyu, this is Muira Tacha, whom you've probably seen this morning. Tacha, this is Yamano Miyu."

"Hi, nice to meet you." Tacha said, putting out her hand. Miyu took it, and Tacha gave it a brisk shake. 

In spite of the sun that beat down from above, Miyu felt the chills again. She tried to cover up her uneasiness with conversation. "Uh, Kia, won't you get in trouble for wearing that? Usually girls are not allowed to wear the boy's style of PE clothes."

"I can personally care less. I don't like wearing those ungodly tight things because I don't feel comfortable having my ass looked at." Miyu blinked; her language took her by surprise.

Tacha giggled. "It's usually the other way around. From what I know of her, I should be wearing the loose stuff and Kia is the one who shows as much skin as possible."

Kia laughed once, sharp and loud. "Not when I'm sweating like a pig, I don't!" Miyu shifted a little. Tacha had just talked about Kia like they had known each other for years.

"Kia, are you related to Yoshi anyhow? A cousin, or brother or something? He's in my study hall class and you have the same last name."

"Yosh is my twin. Aren't I the lucky one?"

"What do you mean?" Kia pointed beyond Miyu's shoulder without speaking. Miyu turned around, then took notice of the laughter of the other students in the class. He was running full force at an eight-foot tall wall that was meant for climbing over. Instead of climbing over, though, he would just run into it, face-first. Then he just backed up and did it again. Miyu grimaced. It looked mildly painful. He slammed into the wall and slid down to his knees. Not seeming to be effected by the impacts at all, Yoshi stood up and did it again. Kia sighed heavily. "_Over_ the wall, Yoshi."

"I'll get through it sometime!" he yelled. Miyu could not help but giggle a little. It was a little funny.

Kia spoke very slowly, as someone would talk to a child. "_Over_ the wall, baka-brain. Not _through_. You do not go through the wall. You go over the wall."

This time Yoshi came to a screeching halt an inch away from the rough wood and looked up at it. "Oh, _over_ the wall! That _would_ make sense!" 

Kia sighed again, shaking her head. "That doesn't effect him at all?" Miyu asked.

"Who, Yosh? Nah. He's going out for the rugby team after school today. The football coach at our last school wanted him for the team, but Yoshi said that pads take all the fun out of it and there is no 'unnecessary roughness' rule in rugby. He's also not a jock, thank God." Kia raised her voice to a yell. She had a very loud voice. "Hey, Yosh! Come over here for a second!"

This time when Yoshi ran at the wall, he jumped a pretty impressive jump over the wall and landed with the grace he had lacked before. Yoshi walked over to the girls sitting in the grass at the corner of the course. "Yoshi, this is Miyu. Miyu, my brother." Kia introduced them.

"I know. She's in my study hall. Ryuko and I can get into some pretty intense paper football games, you know. Anyway, nice to meet you." Yoshi said. 

The teacher glanced at his watch then blew the chrome whistle that hung on a cord around his neck; PE was over, and it was time to change back into their normal clothing for their next classes. 

Miyu followed behind the other girls into the girl's locker room, with Kia and Tacha walking up front. These two girls were like any Miyu had ever met before- they lacked almost all forms of modesty. A few minutes before class ended Kia and Tacha approached the locker room advisor to ask a question, with no shirts on. Miyu, as well as half of the other girls in the locker room averted their eyes. Most Shinma, if they were Shinma, were always shy, quiet, and the most modest people on the school campus. Again, Miyu found herself questioning herself to who, or what, they truly were. Miyu made a point to get dressed and out of the locker room as soon as possible. 

It was becoming difficult to avoid these new students. It was not that Miyu did not like them; they were nice and all, but they were just so different from any other people she had ever met in her entire life. Yoshi and the girls were reclined against the wall of the gym at the front of the school, waiting for the bell to ring for the last class of the day when Tacha beckon for Miyu to join them. She did after a moment of hesitation. "Are you doing anything after school? We have about forty-five minutes before we have to go to any try-outs for any school team sports."

"No, I usually don't do anything after school."

"All right. Do you know where the band room is? That's our next class." Miyu nodded. "Cool. Meet us there after school and we'll sit and talk for a while." Miyu nodded again as the bell rang. The three next students hefted their bags over their shoulders and left. Miyu waited for the students to clear out before stepping into the dark shadow of a large tree that was growing next to the gymnasium. 

"Are you suspicious of them?" Asked a voice from behind.

"Yes, but… no, at the same time." Miyu answered Larva. He stood behind her, half-hidden in the shadows with his mask on. "I don't know what they are. If they are Shinma, they are like none that I've ever encountered before. In feeling and in personality."

"Do you know if they mean any harm?"

"It's too early to tell, but they seem friendly enough. Most of the wandering ones give me cold looks when they see me, but these ones have been trying to make my acquaintance. I'm supposed to talk with them after school today; maybe I can find something out."

"Please be ware. Stray Shinma are unpredictable." Larva warned. 

"I will. Please watch them for me. They are in a different class than I am in now." Larva vanished and Miyu began to walk to class.

***

Miyu leaned against the wall by the doorframe that lead into the school's band room, waiting for the new students as a throng of their classmates with all different instruments entered the room, ready to go head home. 

"Hey, Miyu!" She turned to the call and saw the new students, all five of them, the last of the students coming back to the room. A thin trickle of sweat covered their faces; they had been outside again. Each was carrying a different instrument; which one was specifically what, Miyu was not sure. Kia, Yoshi, and Ryuko had some type of drum with them attached to harnesses that hung on their shoulders. The sets that the twins wore were four small drums, one larger than the last, in front of them; Ryuko's was a single white drum. Tacha and the very tall boy that was with them this morning (Miyu had still not met him) had large saxophones that were supported harnesses strapped around their torsos. Tacha's instrument looked big in front of her; it looked like the smaller saxophones on the big guy. "Oh, Miyu, this is Yoto. I don't think that you are in any classes together."

"No, we're not. Nice to meet you." Yoto only nodded, without a smile or any other form of expression. The strong silent type, Miyu thought to herself.

"Yoto's not a big talker." Tacha whispered to Miyu, but loud enough so the others could here. "Just give him a while and he'll grow less shy."

"You should know that I am not shy, Tacha." Yoto said suddenly. Miyu gave a start; he had the deepest voice she had ever heard. It sounded like the mummer of distant thunder.

"Well, if you were to talk more, than we wouldn't think that, now, would we?" Tacha added with a broad smile. She had very white teeth. "Come inside. This is going to take a while."

It was one of the larger rooms of the school. Instrument cases, sheets of music and personal belongings lay strewn about the floor in a mess of chairs and music stands. Most of the students continued to play on their instruments before they put them away, while a few others got a few stands and chairs in order to play the music that was sitting on the stand in front of them. Kia, Yoshi and Ryuko disappeared into a back room where they removed their drums and harnesses and put them into their proper places. Yoto and Tacha disassembled their saxophones, placed them into their large, rectangular cases and helped each other out of their harness. 

"So what's this called?" Miyu asked, pointing at the case with a foot. It was a poor excuse to make conversation. "I'm not too familiar with musical instruments."

"These are baritone saxophones, but we call them 'bari saxes'. The drums that Kia and Yosh had are called quads, and that would make sense because there are four drums to the set. Ryuko plays the snare. It's not all we play, either. We're very involved with band and music; it's kind of our motivation in school. If we weren't in it, then we would probably be out getting into trouble or something." The big case clicked shut, and she and Yoto moved them into big lockers on one wall of the room. 

With their instruments put away into their rightful places, the new students gathered their books and bags to leave the room. The five students walked ahead in a condensed group while Miyu hung behind, partially because she was still not sure if she should trust them and because she did not like the feeling of being the shortest in a group. But that was usually how things went, for her. They carried on their own conversation as they walked, about sports they were going to be going out for and the bands they were now involved in. 

Except for the students in clubs or athletics, the high school cleared out pretty fast after the last bell rang. By the time they were out of the main door of the school, almost all of the students were gone. The day seemed hotter than it was at PE, and very humid. Once outside, they all took a seat under a large tree. "So," Miyu began. "Where did you come from?"

"Kia and I are from Tokyo." Yoshi explained.

"I also came from Tokyo, but more near the outskirts to be specific. I had to come here when my parents got a divorce."

"My family and I moved here when my father got a new job." Ryuko said next. "We come from Hiroshima."

"I moved here from Nagoya." Was all Yoto said. Not a very big talker at all. 

"The other students in school say that you are already very involved with the school. What do you do?" Miyu inquired. It was a poor way to dig up any information, but she still listened closely for any clues that told her who- or what- they really were. The chills were still there, but the more she was around them the more they subsided. 

"Well, as we said before," Tacha began. "We are mostly involved with the band, and we put our music before anything else. All of us enrolled in the Jazz Band and the Marching and Symphonic Bands. We all can play a variety of instruments. It's a long list, but would you care to hear them?" 

Miyu shrugged. "I guess it all depends on how much time we have."

"All right. We have a while to go, yet. I, for example, play the bari sax for Marching Band, as you saw earlier. In the Jazz Band, I play trombone and then violin for the Symphony. Our last school had an organization call Winter Percussion, and I played marimbas in that. It's a type of xylophone, but it's made of wood and there are medal bells under the keys. I can also play the electronic bass."

"If it doesn't make any noise without being hit, then I won't touch it." Yoshi said afterwards. "I'm a percussionist. I can play quads, tympanis, and drum set. Wait… hang on… I think I played trombone once, when they needed one for the Jazz Band." He looked at his sister. "Is that right?" She shrugged. "Anyway, Kia plays quads, like I do, tenor sax for the Jazz Band, French Horn for Symphonic, and marimbas also for Winter Percussion. It was at our school too. She also has some knowledge of the electric bass and keyboard."

Ryuko said: "I can play snare, as you saw before, trumpet for Jazz band, electric guitar, and…" he cleared his throat. "Clarinet for Symphonic band." Behind him, Yoshi snickered. Kia slapped him on the back of his head and he shut up. Ryuko continued: "Yoto doesn't play nearly as many instruments as the rest of us; he loves his bari as if it was his child. But he's also awesome as a guitar player. We're cousins, you see, and we jam every now and then."

Kia asked: "So Miyu, what about you? Are you into anything like that? Sports, drama, choir?" 

Miyu shook her head. "No, nothing like that. I usually have too much other work to do, so I would never have any time for anything else."

"Ah, a brain!" Tacha remarked. "I've heard stories from a few people in my classes. I think the previous Valid Victorian feels indifferent to you."

"Is there anything else that keeps you busy?" Kia asked. Her voice became soft and a little husky. "A boyfriend, for instance?"

Miyu blinked, surprised by the question. She felt her face grow hot, and then realized that she was blushing. "Well, ah, no, not at the moment anyway…"

Yoshi grunted. "Oh no, they're talking about girl stuff!"

"Ah cool it." Kia said. She turned back to Miyu with a smile. "Don't worry about it. I was just teasin' ya." 

"So, do you have any other friends?" Ryuko said. "We're always interested in meeting new people."

Miyu hesitated before answering. "Actually, I'm not that social, and I like to keep to myself a lot. I've had… sort of a hard past, but I don't like talking about it." She looked at the ground as she finished her sentence.

"Oh. Well then, we won't ask. But hey, if you ever have any problems that you need to talk out, then feel free to talk to us. All right?"

"Yes… that would be all right." That was the first time anyone but Larva had told her that before.

Tacha gave her a warm smile. "Would you like to be friends?"

Miyu nodded.

The next half-hour or so was getting more aquatinted with each other. The new students began to ask about the school, which Miyu had limited knowledge to since she was a pretty new student herself. Each one of them seemed to have a different interest, and they would compare her answers to what it was like at their old schools. Along with the conversation came wisecracks and jokes, mainly thrown in by Yoshi and Ryuko, and it would usually get Kia started. Tacha would sometimes join in, but Yoto would only barely grin. Miyu even found herself laughing once or twice. If they were Shinma, or whatever they truly were, they were unlike any other Shinma she had ever met in her life. Eventually she felt more and more comfortable around them.

High school was also dismissed earlier than the junior high schools were, and it was close to quarter after three when Yoto stood and said that it was time for them to go. Yoshi cursed aloud, grabbed his backpack and took off for a sprint to the boy's locker room. She shouted something as he left, and Kia translated it for them: "He says 'see you tomorrow'. He's so oblivious to keeping appointments, sometime. It's going to get him into real trouble one day."

"I should be going, too." Miyu said. 

"Then we'll see you tomorrow, then. It was fun, Miyu. We should do this more often." The new students said their good byes and left, walking the opposite direction that Miyu was headed.

The school that she now attended to was closer to the home that she and Larva were staying in than the others, but it was still a long walk home. She also enjoyed the location of this school because it was so close to the ocean, hidden in the dense cedar forest that grew about half mile away from the school and occupied the coastline up to the beach. Even after the decades since she was human, she still loved the sea. Or was it centuries? Miyu had lost count a long time ago. The walk home gave her time to think everything over to herself. Shinma came in all forms, all different shapes and sizes. From her experience, Miyu noted how most female Japanese Shinma were small, quiet, short, and petite. Kia and Tacha were almost the opposite of that: they were both tall and their bodies were a little bit bolder than the other girls', and they were also well-built when it came to muscle tones. They were not quiet, and the spoke their minds often. They had very little shame to how much skin they showed, as proven in the locker rooms.

The boys were different too. Male Japanese Shinma were usually tall and well built, but they had a sense of mature dignity. Yoshi and Ryuko lacked that almost completely; Yoshi more so. Both also had a perverted side to them, and it was a side that Miyu felt indifferent to and she did not want to know just yet. The only truly dignified one was Yoto, but he had less of a sense of humor than Larva did, if that was at all possible. Even the jokes that Miyu found funny and laughed at he barely cracked a smile. But she did not think that any Japanese Shinma ever got that _tall_. The other students hardly reached his shoulder, and they were at least as tall as Larva, maybe a little shorter.

As Miyu came to the decision that they defiantly not Japanese Shinma, she was in the cedar forest. She was probably the only student in the school who walked this way, so it would have been safe to teleport to her home, but she still needed more time to think. Her home was about a mile away now. It was sometimes a arduous walk, especially in this heat, but Miyu took no notice. Could they be Western Shinma? She had not seen any female Western Shinma, so they might be… She suddenly greatly doubted it. If they were from the Occident, then Larva would have told her almost immediately. And she also doubted that the boys fit in with the attitude of the Occident. Yoto maybe, but if he was Ryuko's cousin as they had said, then he would have come with them from where ever they had come from.

Miyu turned around all the thoughts that she had gone over in her mind one more time. By then the heat and humidity had tapered off, and she was close to home. It apparently a house that the vampires had stayed at when they were the sentinels. It was an old Japanese rice-paper house that had been built only a hundred or so feet away from a cliff that hung over the coastline, hidden in the huge trunks of the cedar trees. Miyu slid one of the doors open and stepped inside. The main room of the house was completely empty, and Larva was no where to be seen. He was probably still following the new students. Miyu walked to her room, dropped her books and changed into her traditional white yukata. Since there was nothing else to do until Larva returned, Miyu started on her homework for that night.

Thinking one thing and then actually doing it were too completely different actions. Miyu's mind kept wandering as she tried to complete her geometry. She shook her head, picking up her pencil and attacked the uncompleted problem that lay written out on her paper. _Why am I letting this get to me so much? _She thought. _Is it because I don't know what they are? _There weren't that many options to choose from. They were not Japanese Shinma, they were not Western Shinma, from what she knew, and they could not be Shi: Shi kept to themselves more than the Japanese Shinma did. They stay away from humans as much as possible. Miyu sighed with frustration. 

When Larva returned later that evening, as the sun sunk down into the west, Miyu was sitting on the porch that faced the sea. She was sitting cross-legged with her elbows resting on her knees, her head propped up on her hands, deep in thought. He sat down next to her, and they both looked out at the sea for a long time before Miyu spoke. Half of the molten sun was visible over the horizon. "Did you find out anything?" Miyu asked, not moving from her position.

"Probably about as much as you did." Was Larva's answer. "I was able to follow them for a while, after the one returned from practice. Either they just went over to one's house to study, or they're all living in the same house."

"It seems as if they have known each other longer than only a few days. They talk to each other and about each other as if they have known each other for years, even though they say that they are from all over Japan. They can't remember what they did or when they did it. They also look older than they are supposed to be. They are apparently in the same class I am, but most of them look about seventeen or so years old. One looks close to twenty. I've been thinking of what they're not, though. They're not Japanese Shinma, and I don't think they could be Western Shinma."

"No, they're not." Larva said.

"And they can't be Shi, either. What does that leave us with?" Miyu looked up at Larva, who was without his mask, starting intently at the endless ocean. He seemed to be thinking about something. Miyu shifted over and leaned against him, and he put his arm around her. The last of the sun's rays had vanished into the ocean, and the darkness of night had begun to settle in. Stars flickered overhead and a full moon was peaking through the dense branches of the cedars behind them. Despite the heat of the day, the nights were getting cooler, but Miyu did not notice it in Larva's embrace. "I was hoping that they weren't Shinma." Miyu said after a while. "I would have liked to be friends with them a little longer."

Miyu could not help but to take notice of how Larva held her a little bit tighter than before. 


	2. The Third Clan

Chapter Two

The Third Clan
    
    Though still cautious, Miyu found herself going more comfortable around the new kids as the days went by. They were friendly and fun to be around, but she still had no leave to who they really were, even though she and Larva continues to watch them closely. Miyu knew that Shinma often disguised themselves as students to get close to the human students, and the attacks started no less than a week after they arrive. So far, there was no student or faculty illnesses or fatalities. She also figured that if they were Shinma then they would be a little bit more careful around her. They still often slipped up with their wording when they were around her, talking to each other as if they had known each other for years. Larva kept telling her that all of them went to the same house every day after school. 

Miyu still wanted to know what they were doing here and what they wanted with her. If they knew who she was, that is. She had to keep reminding herself about that. As long as they did not cause any problems, then they could stay in this world. She was really hoping that she would not have to send them back to the Dark.

Larva was acting oddly after they arrived; this worried Miyu more than anything else did. He was constantly reminding her to be careful around these people. At night, he held her a little closer than he usually did for a longer amount of time, as if he was afraid that something would happen. It made Miyu feel as if he knew something that she did not. For her, it was one of the uneasiest feelings in the world. 

It was now about one week after they had transferred to Miyu's school. Nothing had happened yet. Miyu was in her history class doing her best to look like she was paying attention. Kia sitting behind her, her long legs sprawled on either side of Miyu's desk; her head bowed to her chest in a half-snooze. Their teacher was reviewing the Toyotomi battles when the teacher asked: "Miss Inaru, where did this particular battle that we have been talking about for half the period take place?"

Kia snorted and looked up. "Uhh… on the battle field?" The class snickered.

"No, I mean what war was it?"

"What ever one we've been talking about." Miyu herself stifled a giggle.

A vein appeared on their teacher's forehead. He sighed, soothed back his hair and straightened his necktie. "Let… me rephrase that. Which battle killed thousands of innocent people?"

"That really big one." Was Kia's comeback. Now the class was laughing all around her.

Now their teacher's face was bright red with anger. "I'll ask you one last time, _Miss_ Inaru. When did this unparticular war take place?"

"A long time ago." The class was out of control, laughing so hard that the majority of them had tears running down their faces. Kia only calmly twirled her long black hair around her finger as if nothing had happened. Their teacher, on the other hand, looked as if he was about to explode. 

He pointed a knobby finger at Kia. "That's it! You have detention, young lady!"

"Tennis practice." She said without even looking up.

"After then!"

"Fine."

It took the teacher the next five to ten minutes to calm the class down so he could finish the lesson, but by then he was still almost too angry to speak.

Miyu and Kia walked down the hallway together for a little while before they went to their separate study halls. "Why did you make him angry like that?"

Kia shrugged. "Dunno. I already know the stuff as if I've learned it a hundred times already. There is no reason for me to learn it again. I'll see you at break, Miyu." Kia turned down another hall and disappeared into the crowd of students. _Again? _Miyu thought.

Miyu and her new group of friends adopted the tree they had sat under the first day they met as a meeting spot for lunch. "Kia…" Yoshi whined at lunch that day. "Did I ever tell you that you're my favorite sister?"

"Yoshi, I'm you're only sister." She said in a monotone voice. "How much money do you need?"

"A hundred yen." Kia sighed, pulled out her wallet and handed him the money. 

"Thank you…" he said. He and Ryuko ran off to buy lunch.

"Let's see, adding that to the account, he now owes me about three billion yen." Kia grumbled to herself. 

"You know Kia, it's not usually healthy for your reputation if you piss off the teacher in your first week." Tacha advised, biting into an apple.

"Hey, it's not my fault that his class was so incredibly _boring_ that I had no choice but to fall asleep!" Kia snapped back.

Tacha smiled, but then looked at Miyu very intently. Putting her apple down, she leaned forward so she was no more than an inch or two away from Miyu's face. Miyu tried to pull back, but Tacha took for chin firmly in her hand, staring straight into her eyes. Miyu began to feel nervous. Why was she looking at her like that? Could she find out what she was by looking at her eyes? Were they brown or gold? Could Tacha see past the illusion that she put over her eyes? Along with that, Miyu did not like anyone being that close to her under no condition what so ever. Her heart began to pound and her palms became slick with sweat.

After what seemed like an eternity, Tacha let go and sat back. "What was all that about, Tacha?" Ryuko asked, coming back with Yoshi and an armful of school food. 

"Nothing… since we are in the shade and there is not that much like I had to take a closer look. Miyu, you have really pretty eyes. They explain your personality well. So… mysterious in their own unique way."

Miyu's throat tightened so much that she could not speak; she only nodded. _Unique… eyes?_ Could she really see her golden eyes? They must… what was so special about brown eyes? It was then the bell rang. Lunch was over and it was time for sixth period to begin. Ryuko and Yoshi quickly inhaled their food before they went off to their separate classes. Miyu felt sick to her stomach. She took a sick day that day for PE, claiming she had a headache. 

It was Thursday, which meant the class had to run a mile and a half. Miyu sat under the shade of the tree, feigning her headache by closing her eyes and burying her head in her arms. A few feet away, their teacher called out times as the students ran by. But she still felt confused, and it felt as if a ball of solid cold iron had settled in the pit of her stomach. 

_Larva…_ Miyu called out desperately in her mind. _I don't know what to do. Maybe I'm just overreacting, but one of them commented on my eyes today, they said that they were mysterious and unique. Can they see my golden eyes? I'm so confused… _

There was a long pause along the mental link that she and Larva shared. Finally, he sighed. _Don't worry about it too much, Miyu. I'll explain everything to you tonight._

I want to follow them to their home today. Miyu could almost see the worried look in his eyes. Before he could say anything else, she added in quickly: _Just for a little while. I will be careful, so don't worry. Just wait at home for me._

There was another pause. _Very well. For your own safety, be on totally alert._

Not more than a few moments after that, Kia, Yoshi, and Tacha all plopped down in the shade of the tree next to her. They were the first ones done; a mile and a half in less than seven minutes. "Ahh…" Kia sighed. "That was refreshing. Hey Hon', are you feeling any better?" she asked Miyu.

Miyu looked up. "Yes… a little. I don't think I'll be able to stay after school today. I have an essay due tomorrow in English that I have to get done, and get rid of this headache before that."

"That's all right. We can't stay either. We even need to miss practice today. Why don't you just go home after school. Don't worry about meeting us at the band room today." Tacha suggested. Miyu nodded. She was still feeling very sick.

***

Miyu did follow them home, just as she said she would after school that day. From about eleven o'clock on, dark clouds began to roll in from the coast. Now they blanketed the sky, transforming the landscape and the distant city of Kyoto into drab shades of gray. This was favorable conditions to Miyu; she could hid in the branches of trees without being seen by them (hopefully) or any humans going the same way. Larva had told her where they walked on the way to the house they were all staying in. It was in the cedar forest also, the opposite direction of Miyu's home, but roughly five or six miles away from the school. It was more secluded than the house she and Larva were staying in.

The sky became blacker as they entered the forest, and the trees became masses of dark shadows among the limbs and branches. Miyu still hung behind them, but her keen sense of hearing let her perceive every word they said. 

"Are you sure it's her?" Kia asked.

Tacha answered: "I'm sure of it. Have you seen anyone else with golden eyes?" Miyu held her breath, then carefully stepped over to another tree branch as they walked on, making sure she did not break any twigs. The forest seemed deathly quiet.

"True," Yoto responded. "But we still have to be on our guard. As a vampire, she will immediately try to return us back to the Dark, as they call it. We must introduce ourselves carefully."

"What about her _Shimobe_?" Ryuko inquired. "He's of the Occident. And you _know_ what kind of problems that can cause. We can't screw up here, guys."

"He opposes no threat." Yoto said. "And even if any others knew that we were here, they would keep their distance."

Miyu had heard enough. These people whom she had been attending school with for only a week and a half knew about her and Larva, and she had no idea in heaven of hell of what they were. For the first time in years she began to feel very afraid. She had to talk to Larva about this. She disappeared from her perch in the tree. The leaves rustled.

* * *

Yoshi caught a faint sound with his sensitive hearing; the faint whisper of leaves brushing together. He looked up, searching among the night-cloaked branches. "What is it?" Ryuko asked.

"There's something in the trees. Or was, actually. They're gone, now. Yoto, Ryuko, you didn't smell anything?"

"No, nothing."

"I could have been Miyu." Tacha said. "I think I may have frightened her today during lunch."

"Really?" Kia said sarcastically. "I could not tell since we can see her eyes no matter how well she can disguise them!"

"I was hoping that there could be some way to tell her about us without much of a problem." Tacha continued, ignoring Kia's bitter retort. "We are under our parent's order to find Miyu and tell her what the Foreseers know. We can not wait any longer. Tonight." The others nodded.

"We are running out of time." Kia said. "There is a growing tension in the air."

"Miyu will probably be talking to Larva about this. Let's go home, get our homework done, then try to talk to her. This is not going to be very easy."

* * *

As her heart rate lowered, rational thought can back to her. She was sitting in the far, dark corner of her room, her legs drawn up tightly to her chest and her chin resting on her knees. What in the world was making her this anxious? There have been plenty of times where Shinma addressed her directly, who knew about her and Larva before they even came into any form of contact, but this was so different from those times. Maybe it was because she did not know who they were. Or maybe it was because she was friends with them and closer friends with anyone she had met at school for a long time. 

Shadows engulfed the room as night descended outside the paper walls, making the surroundings almost pitch-black. Miyu was still able to tell when Larva came into the room. "I didn't think if you were back yet or not." He said. Miyu remained silent; she really did not hear him. She was too preoccupied with her own thoughts. He sat down next to her. She barely moved. "Are you all right?" He asked softly, touching her shoulder. It was then that Miyu came back to reality. 

She looked up at him. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"It looks as if you haven't moved for hours. Did you learn anything?"

"They know about us. I have a feeling that they will be coming here in a very short time." The thought had played through her mind several times since she arrived back at the house they was staying in, but saying it aloud sent shivers down her spin, and the taste of nausea welt up in the back of her throat. Larva put his arms around her, and Miyu did not resist being pulled into his embrace. Normally she would feel safe and comforted, but it only made things worse in a small way. She remembered the tone of the voice that Ryuko used when he pointed out that Larva was a Western Shinma. It was harsh, as if he hated the Westerns. And if they were all from the same place, that meant they all did. Five against two, and they had the better chance for victory. Miyu shuddered, and forced the thought from her mind. "You said that you would explain everything when I got back tonight. Do you know what they are?"

Larva stayed silent for a very long time before he began to explain. "I'm only surprised that your Elders did not speak to of this any sooner." He started. "You know of the two Clans of Shinma that inhabit this realm, right?" He felt her nod. "That is only in this realm. There is a third. They are the Chinese Shinma, and they come from the world on the other side of the Earth realm."

"Do they mean any danger to us? If they come from so far away, does that mean that they're our enemies?"

"They are a different race. No one from this world has ever been to theirs, or so I'm told. But apparently they are very technologically advanced, probably ahead of the humans by a few hundred thousand years. My masters have told me that they have not left their realm since the Shinma Wars, and that happened back when I was a child."

"We were fighting against them?"

"No, and I've forgotten the details of who was fighting who for what reason. The Chinese Shinma are allies to the Japanese Shinma, so you do not have to worry about them harming you. As for the Western Shinma… let's just saw that they feel indifferent towards us. And no one can remember for what reasons. It's as big as a question to why the Japanese and Western Shinma are enemies."

"And their powers?"

"If they are from the higher class, they are very powerful. Stories have been told that one can level a forest."

"Do you think that they are here to fight?"

"Who knows."

Miyu held onto Larva tightly, burying her face against his shoulder. Suddenly, every last fear centered around him and his safety. Losing him in any way was Miyu's worst nightmare, and she knew that it could happen at any given time since he was her guardian. 

There was a knock on the door at about midnight.

Fear settled into the pit of Miyu's stomach like a lump of cold iron. She stayed where she was for a moment long before standing up. "I'll go out and talk with them. Hopefully there will not be any strife."

"Miyu, if there is any problems, please call for me." Miyu remained silent, and bit her lip. "As your guardian, it is my duty to protect you from any sort of danger, no matter what the consequences of the outcome may be."

Miyu swallowed, then said, reluctantly, "If there is any trouble, I'll call." She left the room.

She descended down the dark hallways very slowly. A chill began to creep up her spine; they were right outside the front door. Taking to doorknob firmly in her hand, they knocked again, and her heart stood still. Giving the knob a firm twist, she pushed the door open.

There was nothing on the other side.

They were there, though. "Hello?" Miyu called out nervously. "Is anyone out there? Kia, Tacha, Yoshi?"

"How did you know it was us?" Came an answering voice; Tacha.

"I… followed you home. I had a feeling you would be paying a visit tonight." She paused. "Where are you?"

Kia said: "We were not too sure what form to take for this little visit. We're in our real forms right now, so we didn't want to freak you out. I think Tacha did a real nice job of that earlier today."

"Drop it, bird-brain!"

"Why are you here?" Miyu demanded, trying not to show her fear. She knew how bad the squabbles among themselves could become. She could be here for hours. "What business do you have with me? I don't want to fight you, but if you intend to hurt Larva, than…"

"Whoa, hold on there for a moment." Ryuko's voice came from the dark. "Nobody said anything about hurting anyone!"

"We're only here to talk, and talk we must. Your _Shimobe_ might want to hear this too. It's really important." She sighed. "All right, we're coming out. Try not to be too scared, all right?"

The shadows moved, and five tall, slender figures appeared. There was no doubt to they were the new students at Miyu's school; Kia, Yoshi, Tacha, Yoto and Ryuko, but there was something slightly different about them. 

They were unlike any Shinma that Miyu have seen before. In the long run they were still similar to humans, but now with animals characteristics, and each were dressed in long, flowing light brown cloaks that looked similar to Larva's. Kia and Yoshi were anything but identical twins in their true form. Kia looked like more like a bird, maybe an eagle, but her agile form made her look more like a stork. Her eyes were no longer black, but yellow; not golden like Miyu's, deep and mysterious, but hard and cold. There was a long, dark slash mark across both eyes, running down the full length of her face, and her ears ended in tufted white feathers that extended beyond the crown of her head. The lower part of her arms became scaly and an orangish-brown, and her fingers were abnormally long and ended in curved black claws. Her feet looked like the talons of a bird of prey. The most distinguishing feature was the six-foot long white wings that grew from her back. Yoshi had similar features, but her looked more like a bat. The only way that Miyu could place that was the dark, leathery wings that he had growing from his back. His ears were long and pointed too, with the same leathery texture, and his eyes were a deep crimson with the same markings. His arms were covered in a dark brown fur, and his fingers were longer than his sister's were, spidery and fragile-looking. His feet were also large, with long toes that were webbed with a light brown membrane.

Tacha was the only one of her kind out of the five. She looked like a cat; her eyes were the still same sparkling green that they were since they first met, but they seemed to glow in the dark. Her ears were pointed like a cat's and black, and there were three dark marks on her lower right cheek and jawbone, looking a bit like she had been scratched by a cat. Black fur grew from her arms and her hands and feet looked like cat's paws with curved white claws that grew from the fingers and toes. A long black tail swished behind her. Yoto and Ryuko looked identical, and they looked a lot like wolves. Their eyes were the same hard yellow as Kia's, their ears with pointed and gray, and they both had a dark mark that ran the whole length of their face, starting from their right temple and ending at the left side of their jaw. Their arms and feet looked like a wolf's, a little like Tacha's, and they had gray canine-like tails as well.

For a long time the two different Shinma races just stared at each other, not moving, not saying anything. "Don't tell me that just because we're Shinma too that we can't be friends anymore." Kia said after what seemed to be an eternity.

"It all depends on what you're here for and what actions you take." Miyu said. "How do you survive here? Do you need to take human lives in order to keep your energy up?"

"Oh, God no. Never touch the things. We may eat a little bit more than average people do, but we don't depend on humans. We've been in this realm for the last four hundred years, and not a single human as died in our hands. At least not due to taking their souls. Is that all you're worried about?"

"Larva just told me how the Western Shinma and the Chinese Shinma are enemies. If you intend to hurt him in any way, then…"

"You're gonna have to calm down and hear us out. We're here for training, but not for fighting of any kind, so your _Shimobe_ is safe. Not to mention, it's not our place to pick fights with other people. We're also here because we're way too hyper for our own good. Not very good heir material, you know."

"Heir?" Miyu asked. "You're royalty?"

They nodded simultaneously. Ryuko said: "Heirs to the throne of the three different Clans of our world. We have these rings that we're supposed to wear all the time, but we didn't want to wear them until you knew about us. Anyway, we not here to talk about that. This is fairly important, and we think that you _Shimobe_ want to hear about this too. We promise we won't do anything to hurt him."

Miyu nodded then ducked back into the house with the Chinese Shinma waiting patiently outside. "You know mom would kill us if she found out that we weren't wearing our rings." Yoshi whispered to Kia.

Larva was in the main room of their house, within close hearing range incase anything happened. "They want to talk to both of us." Miyu said. "They promised that they would not hurt you." Larva followed her wordlessly outside.

They stayed within the doorframe and the Chinese Shinma were still where they standing. "We got to keep this short; we do have school tomorrow and it's already late." Kia said. "About a year or so ago we got sort of a telegram from the Foreseers of our Clan. They had a vision of an upcoming peril to the Japanese Shinma and their Realm, and they wanted us to deliver the message to the current Guardian. It took us one heck of a time tracking you down, let me tell you. They said that the vision was very sketchy, and there was not too much detail. But they told us that your Realm will be invaded, but whom they did not know. What they did tell us, and this was emphasized greatly, that it will more than likely change the whole face and relationships of the three Shinma Clans, and the current Guardian is going to be the center of this entire ordeal.

"When the Foreseers get a vision, it's not there once and then never heard from again. Individuals have been picking up bits and pieces to this larger picture, and they are taking this very seriously. They are doing very intense research right now, and are beginning to piece together something that looks to be an ancient prophecy that may be older than your Elders. They will send us the final copy when they get enough information."

Yoto added: "Oh course, none of this has been set in stone."

"How bad are they planning this to be?" Larva asked.

"If it's true, you mean." Tacha said. "There are usually a lot of false alarms when it comes to issues like this. A prophecy can cause a big hype, kind of like how the humans react to the coming of a new century. But, if this is true, then it could be big. We're talking like Armageddon dooms-day material. But it may not be true. Foreseers come up with flukes all the time. And if it does happen, there is no telling when it could happen. It could be next year, in the next hundred years, it may not happen for another thousand. You may not even be the Guardian when this happens. There is no telling what the time frame for this is. They just want us all to be careful."

Kia said: "Will you consider our warning?"

Miyu stayed silent for a moment. "As the Guardian of this realm, it is my duty to protect it from any type of danger. I have no choice."

"Would you like us to help you out?"

"Since you know more about this prophecy thing, yes. But hunting down the stray Shinma is my duty, and that I don't need any help with."

"We know. You know, since we're going to the same school and everything, then we should do something this weekend. We'll go see a movie or something, on us. See you tomorrow at school, Miyu." Ryuko flashed her a peace sign and the Chinese Shinma disappeared into the dark night.

The songs of crickets echoed in the still night air, and the crashing waves on the distant shore sounded closer than it usually did. "Larva, do you think this is something we should be concerned about?" Miyu asked.

Larva shook his head. "Early foresights are hard to be taken seriously. Probably the best thing we can do is wait and see what happens. I don't think the Chinese Shinma would do anything to jeopardize their alignment with the Japanese Shinma."

Miyu shivered; she was not sure if it was from the chill in the air or the Chinese Shinma's haunting words. _The current Guardian is going to be the center of the entire ordeal_. "It's getting cold. Let's go back in." Miyu and Larva turned back into the house, shutting and locking the door behind them before retiring for the night.

* * *

Later that night Larva woke up in a cold sweat from a deep sleep. He had just had one of the most disturbing dreams he had ever had. For some odd and terrifying reason, he had been fighting against Miyu, who was not fighting back. There was blood on her yukata and tears streaming down her face. Right before he woke up, he remembered rushing at Miyu, who suddenly slumped over in his embrace. He looked down and she that he had impaled her with his own hand; blood was everywhere. And he remembered feeling himself smile.

For several moments (or was it hours?) he stayed perfectly still where he sat, trying to recall if it was just a dream or if it really had happened. It seemed so real. He finally found enough strength to get out of bed and check on Miyu. His legs still felt weak. 

To his relief, Miyu was all right. She was sleeping soundly, facing towards the wall with her dark hair fanned out around her. She was breathing soundly, and was very alive. He was barely able to contain his sigh of relief. She looked so peaceful while she slept, so he decided not to wake her. He returned to the room that he was currently staying in, thinking about what the Chinese Shinma had said earlier that night about a foresight of upcoming danger to the Japanese Shinma Clan. Was that a foresight of his own?


	3. Empty Darkness

Chapter Three

Empty Darkness

The weather turned its face on Kyoto the next day. The clouds that had rolled in the day before never did burn off. They hung low in the sky, dark, gray and menacing, a thick blanket that threatened rain. Orange and gold leaves stood out starkly against the darkness and shimmered in the cool breeze. This was perfectly normal for this time of year, roughly late October, after a remotely warm summer, but something was different. Something very different and very wrong.

The pungent smell of decaying leaves was very strong when Miyu and her friends sat under their tree for lunch. Miyu felt calmer around them now since they told her who they were and what they were doing here, and they carried on the way they did when they had first met. But the warning of their Foreseer's vision still had her freaked out. It had taken her almost two hours to fall asleep after they left last night, or so it seemed. At one point she thought that Larva had come into her room, but she was not sure so she did not ask him that morning.

Miyu studied the ring in her hand. It was Kia's, made out of heavy silver with a dark purple stone set in the middle, encircled by odd symbols. Something was engraved into the stone; it looked like a wing of some sort. If her knowledge served her correctly, a creature that looked to be a gryphon was engraved in one side of the ring, and something like a coiled or woven band on the other. The overall ring looked like a class ring that students wore. Kia was explaining the anatomy of the ring to Miyu. Yoto was reclined against the tree's trunk reading and watching Yoshi and Ryuko fight over food amused Tacha. "That symbol on the inside is my own personal crest, and the color of the stone is the color of my crest." Kia said, tapping the stone. "And the writing on the outside of it is my family name: Tlykera. That writing is our own language." She turned the ring over. "This is Regalia, out god of storm. Somehow we were proclaimed to be the children of out five gods, but let's not get into that now." She turned the ring over again. "And this is the symbol of the Chinese Shinma, the Circle of the Six Dragons." Miyu gave the ring back. "We were not sure if you knew about us or not, so we didn't want to wear them until we were sure." She put the ring back onto the third finger of her right hand. 

"May I see yours?" Miyu asked Yoto. Yoto marked his place in the book and slipped the ring off his finger and gave it to her. With a quick glance, Miyu could see that his book was written in what looked like Latin. The ring looked to be a lot like Kia's, but was twice the size of hers and huge; Miyu could slip both of her thumbs into it. It was made out of shining gold with a crystal-clear stone set in its center. A snowflake was engraved on the inside of the stone, and the side that had the gryphon on it on Kia's ring was what looked to be a wolf. It was a little different than an actual wolf; it had a thick mane of hair, its back legs looked like hooves and there was a curved horn growing from its head. "Who's this?" She asked.

"That's Rayearth, our god of ice." Yoto said. Miyu gave the ring back and asked for Tacha's. There was a different animal on each of their rings, along with a different colored stone. Tacha's ring bore a blue stone was a teardrop on the inside and something that looked to be half-horse, half-fish on the side. He was Windom, the god of the ocean. A red stone and a dragon were on Yoshi's. His symbol looked like two twin blades, and the dragon was Debonaire, the god of fire. Ryuko's stone was almost a dead black, and Miyu was barley about to make out what looked like a river or stream inside. The creature on the side looked like a western dragon, but it had wings instead of front limbs. His was called Lafarga, the god of illusion. 

"You said something last night about the three different clans of your world." Miyu said as she handed Ryuko his ring back. 

"Yeah," Tacha said, taking a drink of soda. Yoshi snatched the bottle from her and drained the rest. "Kia and Yoshi are Avians, and they all look like either birds of bats. Yoto and Ryuko are Wolfins, and they all looked like wolves, foxes and coyotes. I'm a Feline, and we all look like the wild big cats."

"And you're royalty?"

Tacha nodded. "Heirs to the throne. Someday we will rule over our respective clan. Except Ryuko; he's known as a Second Heir." Ryuko and Yoshi began to fight over the last remaining rice-ball. Tacha continued: "He is the nephew of the current king. If anything should happen to Yoto, then Ryuko will take over. What about you, Miyu? The vampires are the rulers of the Japanese Shinma, right? Will you gain a title like Queen or Empress of the Japanese Shinma when your task is over?"

Miyu had never thought about that before. "I'm not sure; Osa never told me. All I know is that I am the current Sentinel that must send all the wandering Shinma back to the Darkness. I really don't know what will happen when Larva and I are finished."

Thunder rolled explosively over their heads, startling them all. Lightning forked down from the sky into the inky ocean before the thunder rolled again. As if the floodgates of heaven opened, rain poured down upon them. The baring branches did little to block the fat, cold drops of water. They quickly gathered up their books, bags and any remaining food and took shelter under the overhang of the gym, but not before they got an effective shower. The rice ball that Ryuko and Yoshi were fighting over was destroyed.

"Ahh yes, nothing like a refreshing spring shower to cool you down." Ryuko said sarcastically, shaking the water from his eyes.

"Rice ball…" Yoshi cried softly, reaching out mournfully for the pile of bloated rice that was still in the grass.

"Yoshi, we have plenty of rice back at home. You can gorge yourself there after school." Tacha said while squeezing the water from her braid. Yoshi sat back and pouted, then shook his head forcefully. Water flew everywhere.

"Miyu, what's wrong?"

Miyu stood motionless, staring out into the driving rain. But she was not looking at the rain; her eyes were distant yet intense. "Something is not right, here and in my realm. I can't put my finger on it, but… something is wrong."

The Chinese Shinma stayed silent. "If anything is wrong, will other Japanese Shinma tell you?" Kia asked.

"I hope so. Something feels really wrong."

"I've been feeling a growing tension in the atmosphere. I didn't want to say anything because I didn't know if it was my place or not." Kia said.

"Do you think it may tie into the prophecy?"

Kia shook her head. "It's hard to say. Foresights are unpredictable."

The bell rang loudly, reminding everyone that another lunch was over. They all separated to go to their sixth period classes; Miyu, the twins and Tacha to PE, Yoto to geometry and Ryuko to literature. Little was said as the way of a good bye.

PE that day helped pick up Miyu's spirits a little. Since it had began raining so suddenly, the class had to stay in the gym and had a chance to play either volleyball or basketball. The teachers fanatically worked to get the nets up as role was being taken. Not wanting to risk being trampled, Miyu and the Chinese Shinma took off for the volleyball "courts". Not even five minutes into the game, Yoshi somehow managed to get himself tangled up in the nets and was unable to free himself. It finally took the aid of utility scissors to free him. The stress relief was only temporary; as soon as Miyu saw the sheets of rain when her class was released to the locker rooms she saw the sheets of rain and heard the peals of thunder, her bleak mood quickly returned. Miyu and the girls stood under the roof of the girl's locker room waiting for the teacher to let them in and change. Kaya, a young, weak Shinma whom Miyu was faintly aquatinted with tapped Miyu on the shoulder. "Miyu, what's happening?" She asked with large purple eyes that were full of confusion.

The wind became colder, and most of the girls huddled close together to keep warm. Miyu answered: "I don't know."

The girl's locker room was old and in desperate need of repair. Water dripped through the leaky ceiling and onto the girls as they changed, making them squeal when the water landed on them. The Shinma girls did not notice.

"Oh, well." Yoshi said as they stood outside the gym. "At least we don't have field practice today."

"I think there is someone I can see about this." Miyu said. "A few Shinma in our class are feeling anxious, too. Whatever is going on, it is big."

Kia nodded, then said: "We'll come by your home tomorrow and we'll go see a movie or to the mall or something like." The bell had finished ringing and they left.

After school Miyu quickly made her way home, using her book bag as an umbrella. The rain was relentless; it had not faltered since it started, and that was over two hours ago. As soon as she reached the edge of the cedar forest where there was no one else around, she disappeared to her home.

_Home…_ she thought wearily. _This is only a house, not a home._ She did not have a true home since she had Awoken. True, it kept her and Larva warm and dry, and she was with Larva all the time, but it did not feel like a home. Not like the one when she lived with her parents. She changed into her white yukata and pulled her red ribbon from her hair to let it dry. If it was raining here, in the Earth Realm, then she could just imagine what it was like in the Spirit Realm. Her long dark hair dried quickly and she put it put into her traditional hairstyle. Then she sought out Larva.

She quickly told him what was happening and whom she needed to talk to about this. The only problem was this Shinma was dangerous, unpredictable and a troublemaker, so she needed Larva to go with her.

Miyu figured that the Japanese Shinma built the house that she and the past Sentinels had stayed in solely for them. The house seemed to be built in between the Earth and Japanese Realms. Miyu opened a paper rice door and stepped into the Japanese Realm, into the Darkness.

Surprisingly, the landscape looked almost identical to Japan on earth, though it seemed to be a little darker. The ocean fanned out behind them, and the Western Shinma Realm rested on the other side. A cedar forest and a high mountain range spread out before them. This was the actual realm. Miyu's red realm as well as the other worlds that Shinma would often drew her into during a fight was a mere state of mind brought to reality. That was what made the Japanese Spirit Realm so complex; it was a world built upon hundreds, maybe even thousands of other worlds. The true realm consisted of five different areas, known as Layers. Each Layer had its own Elder and Sentinel, with Miyu being the Watcher and Sentinel of the entire realm, and the Shinma that lived in the lower Layers became stronger than the ones above them. Miyu knew little of this, but she heard stories that the Japanese Shinma Realm was almost completely circular that centralize around a mythical center known as the Heart of the Darkness. But since the only Shinma Miyu ever really came into contact with were from the First Layer and sometimes the Second Layer, which consisted of the weaker Shinma, her sources were weak. 

As she suspected, the weather of the Earth Realm was being reflected here. The entire landscape was engulfed by a howling blizzard, making it nearly impossible to see anything a few feet ahead. It was worse than she thought.

Miyu had been here a few times before, but this time it felt different. It was very quiet, even for a spirit realm. It felt almost… empty.

The one Miyu had to see lived on those mountains, which marked the boarder line between the First Layer and the Second Layer. "Let's go." Miyu said, and she and Larva disappeared into the mountains.

The Shinma lived in a small area that looked like a traditional Japanese shrine, thought it was small compared to the true shrines of Japan. It was cold up here, and there was snow on the ground, but the mountain had blocked the blizzard that swirled around them. "Miyu," Larva said. The mask did not muffle his voice at all. "Are you sure it is safe to talk to Reiha? You have had your differences in the past."

"I know it seems risky, but she would be the only one that I can talk at close range. Ranka would probably know more, but she's very hard to track down." Ranka was the Sentinel of the Second Layer. Though Reiha did not compare to her powers, had a close connection to Ranka, sort of like a messenger. Whatever she knew then Reiha knew as well. Though Reiha had caused problems when she was in the Earth Realm and Miyu had no choice but to send her back, Miyu needed her help right now. "Reiha! This is Miyu, Guardian of the Japanese Spirit Realm! Where are you?"

"There's no need to shout." Came a voice from behind. "I knew you were here from the moment you can through that door." Miyu turned around and saw Reiha standing right behind her. She was a small Shinma and looked very young, maybe eight or none years old by human terms, but she was older than Miyu was by a few hundred, maybe even a thousand years. Her hair was dark blue, almost black, very short and pulled into a small pigtail in front of each ear. Her eyes were large and green yet very cold, her skin so pale it was almost white and she had a strange, light blue symbol on her forehead; Miyu was not sure exactly what that meant. She was dressed in traditional Japanese robes made of light lavender and white cloth that seemed to be too big for her and she carried a doll in her arms, its eyes closed. It name was Matsukazi, a small Shinma that was always with Reiha that Miyu found to be particularly annoying. Reiha was a controller of ice, which explained the snow on the ground. Her favorite attacks were freezing people alive, and she did it often. Miyu had to be on her guard.

"I know why you are here." Reiha said coolly, sweeping past Miyu in a graceful manner, almost as if she were floating. "It's because of the shift between worlds, isn't it?"

"If that's what you call it, yes." Miyu said in an equally cold tone. "What has happened? This world seems unnaturally quiet."

"You're right." Said Reiha. "That's because all the Shinma within the First, Second, even the Third Layers have all left for the Earth Realm."

Miyu blinked. "Left? They're all in the Earth Realm? Is it some sort of rebellious movement?"

"Actually, no. From what I know, they were all Shinma that never got into any trouble. But they all just left."

"For what reasons did they leave?" Miyu asked. This had to be serious. Usually Reiha acted very coy when Miyu had to inquire her, but this time she was very straightforward. 

Reiha did not answer right away. She instead knelt down to admire a bunch of purple flowers that grew out of the snow. "The Shinma that fled would never leave unless it was something really important. There are no stone-set facts yet, but I'll tell you the rumors that I have heard. You may be familiar with Shinma Ha'nyuh? Has the body of a bird, and a pretty face? Well, he and his lover Saya were flying over the ocean earlier this morning when they spotted something in the distance; a ship. It was not one of our ships, like the ones that the Shinma of Totogenki village use." Miyu nodded. Although she had never been there before, Totogenki was a small Shinma fishing village in this world. It was probably the biggest town in the entire realm. "It was a ship for the West, Miyu. A ship that belonged to the Occidental Shinma. When Ha'nyuh returned to us, alone and out of breath, he was stammering something about a Western Shinma who had killed Saya. He also pointed out that there was more than one- he counted seven of eight- and they were on their way here. Neither of the Clans have crossed the ocean since the Shinma wars."

Miyu remained quiet for a moment, digesting the information that Reiha had just given her. "And what will happen if they land here?"

Reiha finally looked at Miyu, her face unreadable. She then turned back to the flowers that she had been looking at and then swiped a hand at them. The flowers were instantly frozen in ice, then crumbled. Miyu grimaced. "I see your point. And no one knows for what reasons they are here for?"

"Why should they need a reason?" Matsukazi asked in a scornful voice. "They're our enemies. They don't need a reason to attack."

Miyu found that to be a little unbelievable. Matsukazi was trademarked for his harsh and negative words. There must be a reason for them to come here, to cross the vast ocean into hostile enemy territory, though she did not know where to begin. "Where are these Shinma hiding?"

"A vast majority are probably in the forest, a few in the cities. I don't think you'll have to worry about them causing any trouble. Or main concern should be the Western Shinma that are on their way here."

"How many of the Elders and other Sentinels know of this situation?"

"As far as the Elders go, none. The Elders of the Lower Layers won't get involved if they could possibly help it. The only others ones who know of this is Ranka."

"Then that's all that should know. We can't have a mass panic, or at least not to a greater extent that it is now."

"What are you going to do?"

"Nothing until it is certain that they are on their way here." 

Reiha looked at her as if she were questioning Miyu's decision. She shrugged. "What ever your call is. You're the Sentinel and the Guardian of the Realm. What ever happens will fall on your shoulders." Reiha said coldly. She turned quickly and disappeared.

Miyu stared at the place where Reiha had been standing for a moment or two, pondering her words. She well understood that she was the Guardian of this realm, that she was to protect it from all harm. She had faced a few Western Shinma before, and most of them were not a big problem. But a whole fleet of them? What was the full extent of their powers? She shook her head to clear her thoughts. Reiha was not the most reliable source in the Japanese Realm, and she and Miyu did have their differences in the past. But everything boiled down to she _was_ the Guardian, and guard the realm she must. Turning sharply on her heel, she began to walk away from the small Japanese Shrine. "Let's go, Larva."

Upon arriving back at the house, Miyu slowly closed the paper rice door behind her, closing off the room from the world of the Shinma. Neither she nor Larva had spoken a word to each other since they met with Reiha, too obsessed with their own thoughts. Miyu opened the door on the opposite side of the room to let in some fresh air. Rain always made the air smell sweet and clean. The human world lay beyond the sheets of rain. Miyu was also surprised to find Kia, in her true form, sprawled on the porch, her arms draped over her eyes, legs hanging over the end and her wings spread out along the wooden planks.

"I was wondering how long it was going to take you to get back." She said. "I was almost tired of waiting." She sat up, carefully folding her wings behind her. 

Miyu glanced back over her shoulder, silently dismissing Larva. She could sense his uneasiness being this close to the Chinese Shinma that was sitting on their porch. After he left, Miyu took a seat next to Kia. "I thought you said you were coming by tomorrow." Miyu said. "Where is everyone else?"

"At home. I had to talk to you about something. Where did you go?"

"I had to talk to someone. A sort of ally to the Sentinel of the Second Layer, Ranka. Her name is Reiha." 

Kia nodded. "Yeah, I've met them before." She paused. "I suppose you know what's going on?"

Miyu looked at Kia. "You know too? How did you find out?"

"Well, being a Stormblood- that's what we call Shinma who have the power over a thunderstorm- I can sense when a big storm like this is moving in a few days before it ever hits. But this…" she said making a motion with her hand towards the storm. "I would have been able to feel three or four days in advance. But, there was nothing. Not even a tingle. So, sitting at home today after school, I came to the conclusion that the only thing that could cause this was a clash of realms, when the beings of one realm cross to another. When we first came here, we caused a little weather disturbance, but it soon mellowed out. Have you ever wondered why human meteorologists can never get their forecasts right? When a Shinma crosses from this realm into the Earth realm, it disturbs the weather. The more powerful the Shinma, the bigger the disturbance. And I'm guessing with a storm this big, it can either be a fleet of them or a powerful few."

"Or both." Kia gave a start. "Reiha told me that there were about eight of them, and one was able to kill a Shinma by using nothing but a simple spell. I take it this can be a problem?"

"I means that your people can be in very big trouble. The other Chinese Shinma and I will help you, but only with your permission."

"In my life as the guardian, there is nothing that Larva and I have not been able to defeat. But this is different. There's a huge snowstorm in the Japanese Shinma Realm right now, from them coming, and this is from the massive jump that more than half the population of the first three Layers made. Since no one else seems interested in helping us, I would appreciate your help, but only when we get into trouble."

Kia nodded, then pulled out something from inside her cloak. It was a small devise that looked like a perfect silver sphere with one red dot in the middle, no larger than the size of a hundred yen coin. "If you do need help, push the red button. I have the other one, and it will make a beeping noise if activated." Miyu took the small object, looking it over. The Japanese Shinma never had anything like this, so they must truly been further advanced then they.

"All right." Miyu said. "If anything out of control happens, I'll call. And because of this, I have to be guarding the Gate to my realm, so I don't think I will be able to do anything tomorrow."

"Then we'll take a rein-check on that. There's nothing good playing at the movies anyway. Well, I've got to get going. I'll see you later." Kia stood up, soothing the wrinkles in her cloak, then walked down the length of the porch. She turned the corner, and was gone.

When the Chinese Shinma was gone, Miyu sought out Larva. He was standing next to a window, looking out to the ocean if it was not raining so hard. Miyu told him about her conversation with Kia, but he barely nodded. "Is there something bothering you?" She asked.

He shook his head. There was something that was deeply disturbing him; he had not told Miyu about his dream yet. "I just have a bad feeling about this."

Miyu slid her arms around his waist, laying her head on his chest. "I don't think it's anything to be overly worried about. I don't think it's anything we're not going to be able to handle."

Larva put his arms around her, gently stroking her hair. A brief flash of his dream reappeared to haunt him, and he shuddered. _Please let it be just that._


	4. A Ship From the West

Chapter Four

A Ship from the West

The ocean was dark and menacing. It was not snowing out here, but the effects of the crossing realms could still be seen. The waters were black and swelling, white foam forming at the peaks of the waves. Dark, almost black, cold clouds churned overhead as violently as the sea the separated the worlds of the Japanese and Western Shinma. No one has crossed this ocean for thousands of years. There is no reason to, any reason to want to. Until now, at least.

The dark ship cut through the churning waves easily, heading towards one destination: the Japanese Shinma Realm. A huge ship made of dark wood, the large sails hung tattered though it moved quickly and the figurehead seemed to glare at the approaching shore. On the bow, seven ominous figures watched, as the Japanese Realm became visible on the horizon. They have been too long at sea, and the approaching land looked promising. As the ship drew closer, they saw the only thing that was blocking their path; a huge, dark red Torii Gate, the "doorway" to the realm, which could not be opened without the Sentinel there to do so. For the Western Shinma, this simply would not do.

One of the Shinma watching the approaching shores. His name was Cait Sith, with light purple hair that stood out starkly against his dark skin and cat-like eyes laughed cruelly. His clothes were dark purple, complete with baggy pants and light gray shoulder armor. A gold circlet circled his head, set with a blood-red jewel in the middle and a dark burgundy cape wrapped around his shoulders. "That's it? That's the only thing that separates the two worlds? Not much of a defense." He chuckled again. 

Another Shinma, apparently older than the rest, said: "By destroying the two orbs, the gates will open. It is not a hard task." He was called Pazusu and was the leader of the small group aboard the ship, dressed a long white cloak and a white turban wrapped around his head. His long dark hair was tied in a thin tail at the nape of his neck.

"That will be a fairly easy job for us." A woman agreed. A water sprite, her hands were webbed in between her fingers, and her large ears had a similar look. Her long, dark green hair flowed like rippling water all the way to the deck, gently swaying in the ocean wind along with her long, heavy white robes. She was called Water Lipper.

"There is only one problem we have to worry about," a too-feminine man with short light green hair called Amy added. His auburn clothes were almost next to skintight and he also wore some type of armor on his shoulders with a short cape all the way around that hung down do his waist. "The Sentinel."

"I know." Answered a young woman. The hood on her long burgundy dress was up and a very wavy stands of blonde hair coiled around the bone white mask that covered her face.

A younger boy wearing a dark blue cloak with curly black hair named Lemunia lay on the bowsprit. He and Carlua looked about the same age, probably about sixteen or so in human terms. Even with the ageless faces that all Shinma had. All the others except for Pazusu looked in their early twenties. "He always with her, so he will not be too hard to track down."

"But it seems as if she's not here." A big man named Spartoi reported. He wore the attire of a soldier, all tones of dark brown with something that resembled a bronze dragon coiled around his shoulders and torso. 

Carlua turned away from her companions and began to walk down the length of the deck. "I know of her whereabouts."

Cait Sith sensed her distress. "My dear Carlua," he crooned. "Do you feel Larva's presence?" Carlua ceased in her tracks.

"I can take care of it myself. Just let me go." There was a tone of inpatient anticipation in her voice. 

Pazusu grasped her slim wrist gently but firmly. "What is it you exactly intend to do?" The girl remained silent for a long moment, then shook her head slowly in near defeat.

The last Western Shinma on the ship, a young man named Night Gia placed a hand on Carlua's shoulder. His hair was dark sandy blonde and he wore a yellow suit that resembled that of what a human man would wear in the late eighteenth century. "Now Carlua, take it easy." Under her mask, Carlua scowled at him. She _hated_ when people treated her like a child. "Just leave it to me. I can find out why Larva was exactly succumbed by Miyu in the first place."

"How can a man like Larva controlled by someone that small?" Spartoi asked, mainly to himself. 

"I agree." Pazusu said with a small nod. "Carlua, go with Night Gia, for your own sake. The Japanese Shinma can be rather aggressive."

"May I go also?" Lemunia asked, climbing off the bowsprit. 

"It may be better that way." Cait Sith said, the chilling half-smile never leaving his lips. "You three can divert the Sentinel while the rest of us will take down the Gate."

"Is it true…" Water Lipper began, looking at the shore with a small look of uneasiness in her deep sea green eyes. "That there are Chinese Shinma here?"

"Stories and rumors." Night Gia snorted. "Those barbarians are even more bloodthirsty than the vampire sentinel. They are attracted to a war the way a vulture is to rotting flesh. They have no reason to be here."

"A rumor is not always necessarily untrue. We will still have to be careful. We can take no chances here. Anything involving the Chinese Shinma is a threat to us. We are here only for the reasons in which we came, and nothing else." Pazusu said.

Night Gia only snorted again in his always cocky-fashion, slipping on his light brown gloves. "I simple threat, and no more than that. What I find more disturbing is we are letting the kids go into battle." Both Lemunia and Carlua glared at him and he chuckled in his throat. "Well now, shall we be off?" He asked, picking up a short rapier that was leaning on the railing that ran along the perimeter of the deck. The three Shinma disappeared into the Japanese Shinma Realm.

The remaining Western Shinma turned their sights on the Gate. Water Lipper stepped up, thrusting her hand out. "Let me begin." The sea began to stir.

* * *

High up above, among the wooden beams of the mast that supported the tattered sails, Yoshi glared down at the Western Shinma. The Bats of the Avian Clan were the only ones of all the Chinese Shinma that could completely erase their presence. For as sensitive Shinma were towards each other, especially among different Clans, not even the hairs of the back of their necks stirred. Their hearing was also the best of the three Chinese Shinma Clan; he picked up every word they had said. _They're going to attack with out an official challenge? _He thought. _The ones here are going to try to destroy the barrier. The three that left are going after Miyu. And something about Larva… I suppose they know him, somehow…_

This was neither the time nor place to make evaluations. He thought quickly, trying to make the decision of whether to warn Miyu or tell Kia and the others. Tell Kia first; she had always been the leader among them and there was no way that those three could track down Miyu in the time that would take. Anyway, Miyu was a strong girl. Those three would be no problem for her. And it would take longer to bring down the Gate. With all the blows that thing took during the Shinma Wars, it did not even crack.

Yoshi perched on the wooden beam, wings slightly stretched until a wind came up powerful enough to allow him to take off, and he soared into the sky.

* * *

Tacha lay on her back across a wide tree branch, looking up at the dark clouds that floated lazily across the sky. The Japanese Shinma Realm was so peaceful, much nicer than the Earth Realm. Her tail gently swayed back and forth. Kia was sitting among the branches above her, and the Wolfins were reclined at the base of the trunk. Yoto was reading, as usual, and Ryuko was snoring loudly. Yoshi had disappeared some time ago, saying there was something important he had to check out. That probably meant he was letching around somewhere or eating to the point where he would not be able to move. "Hey, Tacha." Kia called from a little higher up. He lighter bone structure allowed her to get to places in the tree branches that Tacha's weight would snap long before. "What are you doing? You haven't said anything for almost two hours."

"Nothing…" Tacha said in a dreary, sleepy tone. "Just thinking."

"What can you possibly be thinking about? Usually we're chatting each other's heads off."

She shrugged. "I don't know. Stuff." There was a pause. Somewhere in the distance a bird chirped. Or whatever made a chirping noise in this world, that is. "Hey Kia. Think about this concept for a moment and give me an honest answer."

"Shoot."

"What happens when a Western Shinma falls in love with the vampire sentinel of the Japanese Shinma?"

Kia's mouth twisted to the side a little as she pondered the question. She shook her head. "I have no idea. I've never really thought about that combination before. What makes you ask?"

"Just thinking, like I said. No one in this world seems to have a problem with it, so I guess it's all cool. I'm not too sure about the Western Shinma, though. I'm surprised they have not gone anal about it and tried to start a war or anything like that yet."

"I think that might change." Yoshi's voice came out of no where, causing them all to jump. He was sitting right next to Kia, and she had not noticed. She growled loudly and hit him on the back of the head with a fist.

"What do you mean?"

"Oww… that really hurt, feathers-for-brains!"

"Yoshi, what do you mean?" Tacha demanded.

"Oh, yeah, right. The Western Shinma that we _thought_ we coming… well, they're here. The ship just sailed into the bay near the Gate. There are eight of them. Three just left to track down Miyu, the other five are staying behind to try to collapse the Gate so their group can get in. And something about Larva… they didn't say anything more, but I'm guessing they know him somehow."

"Well, speak of the devil." Tacha said. "Why didn't you warn Miyu first?"

Yoshi snorted. "Miyu can take care of herself- she's a strong girl. And the Gate will hold. That thing took a beating in the Shinma Wars, and I don't think there are enough Japanese Shinma left in this world to get in their way."

"He's right, for once." Yoto said, saving his place in his book with a thick finger. "It's us and an entire realm verses them. I should not take too long to take care of. We may not have to get involved at all." Yoshi made a _tsking_ sound.

"But we said the same thing about _Zen'trtalp_, and look what happened. We almost ended up going to a full blown war with them." Tacha said.

Kia said: "She's right. Even if Miyu can handle it, we should still warn her."

Tacha kicked Ryuko; he awoke with a snort. "Move your tail. We have business to take care of."

"I wasn't sleeping Yatukasha-_sensei_! I swear! The Second World War?" Ryuko blinked and looked up at them. "Oh, Tacha. What do you want?"

"We're going to see Miyu. There are Western Shinma here and they're about to stir up about as much trouble as you and Yoshi while you're drunk."

He sprung to his feet. "All-_right_! Finally something interesting!" 

"I said I_ warn_ moron, not fight." She turned back to the others. "It should take them a while to find her. I mean, they don't even know this land, much less where Miyu is staying."

* * *

It was a very quiet day- almost too quite. Though the rains persisted heavily in the Earth Realm, the snowstorm had calmed for now in the Japanese Spirit Realm and all was quiet. The wind hushed softly through the trees as Miyu lay on the ground of the house in the Japanese Shinma Realm, asleep. She had not seen Larva since early that morning, and the sound of the rain in the Earth Realm had eventually lulled her to a shallow yet undisturbed slumber. The house in between worlds shifted from the Earth Realm to the Japanese Spirit Realm often as she slept. For a while it bothered her after she had Awoken, a kind of jerky feeling like the sensation of falling out of bed, but she eventually got used to it as the shifts became smoother. She guessed it reflected her dreams or her subconscious thoughts, and since there was a dilemma between the world of mortals and demons it was only natural for her to now be in her more "rightful" world. It was all the Western Shinma needed to find her. 

The aged wood creaked softly under the wind, and Miyu stirred a little. Other than that, there was not a sound. Only the now eerie silence of the Darkness…

__

Miyu…

Her eyelids fluttered a little, responding to the voice. Was it just a dream, or was someone calling her name? Not giving a thought more than that, she let her eyes drift shut again.

__

Miyu…

The voice came again, a little louder than before. Miyu opened her eye fully, blinking in the dim light that filtered through the paper rice walls of the house. No one was there. The voice called again. "Larva?" Miyu asked aloud, but he still was not back. Where he decided to disappear to sometimes she would probably never know. Pushing herself up onto her elbows, she stood up and took a few groggy steps to the door and slid it open. She stepped out onto the patio, slick with a thin layer of frost. It was cold under her bare feet, but she had learned over the years how to ignore the coldness of winter and the heat of summer. A neat little trick that Larva taught her a while after she Awoke also. 

The landscape before her was silent, still, and very empty. The snow had stopped falling and the land was covered in fresh white powder. Dark clouds churned in the sky and a light wind blew, stirring a few stands of heir that came loose from her ponytail as she slept. Was it just her fevered imagination? The Chinese Shinma had said that the Japanese Shinma Realm was going to be invaded and that would eventually lead to this so-called prophecy. It was the first time she put the two thoughts together, and she shivered. Well, if it was not Larva calling her and no one else was around, then who? She turned to go back inside.

Miyu stopped as a tear suddenly rolled down her face. She reached up to brush it away, looking at the moister on her fingers in surprise. More tears followed the first, falling from her eyes that she was not able to control. "W- why am I crying?" she asked herself aloud. Looking down again, she saw a small bird with soft brown feathers curled up in her hands, eyes closed and dead. "A… a bird?" A small gasp escaped her lips. "My bird! It's dead." Miyu, now a small child of about four or five, held the bird close to her and let the tears fall.

_Miyu…_

Miyu looked up, blinking the tears from her eyes so she could see. "Who is it?" As if stepping out of thin air, a young man stood before her dressed in a flowing black cloak and holding a white mask in his equally white hands. The light breeze teased his light blue hair slightly and his deep red eyes that were set in his beautiful face were full of sorrow and pity. "Who are you?"

"Why are you crying?" His voice was kind and comforting.

"My bird…" she bit her lip against the tears that threatened to form again, but it was useless. The came again anyway. "It died…"

He knelt down in front of her, his captivating red eyes holding her own. "Because its life is not eternal, its time here is beautiful." He told her gently. "When your bird used up its moment of beauty, it had to leave this world."

Miyu continued to look up at him for another few moments, not fully understanding his words. She held the bird close to her cheek. "Well, someday can Miyu go to where my bird is?" She asked.

Touched by her innocent question, the young man placed a hand on her head. "Of course you can."

Miyu threw herself at him suddenly, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. He held her back gently. "It's so cold… I can't warm it up. No matter how I try, it remains cold and stiff and still…" As she cried, the man rethought of his plan…

Instantly everything was gone, like a pricked bubble. Miyu fell with a heavy thud to her knees in the middle of her empty room, recollecting her thoughts as her mind spun. _What… happened?_ Was she still asleep? Was that a dream? She used to often dream about her past, but it had been a few years since the last. She made herself get up, holding her head against the dizziness. If it was not a dream, then what could it have been?

_Miyu…_

No, it was not Larva. The voice was different, and the presence was different. Very different. At first she thought it was one of the Chinese Shinma, but then she thought about Reiha's warning. Western Shinma.

She could not have been more right. From the shadows stepped a young man, looking to be about Larva's age, with short dirty blonde hair that covered half of his face dressed in Western garb. He held a short yet sharp looking rapier in his hands. Miyu gasped and stepped back. "Who the hell are you?" She demanded.

The man laughed. " Welcome to my dream world. I am the Western Shinma Night Gia, the shaper of dreams. You dream deeply, my dear Miyu."

"Western… Shinma?" _Here?_ "You invade not only my home but my dreams as well? How _dare_ you!"

The skin of her arms prickled as a new presence appeared behind her. Another Western Shinma. "Over here, too." Miyu spun around to see a boy, looking to be about her age, with curly black hair and dressed in a dark blue cloak. "You can not win in his dream world." He seemed oddly familiar, but Miyu could not put her finger on it. She opened her mouth, but he introduced himself before she had a chance to say anything. "I am Lemunia."

"Lemunia…" Miyu repeated. Even the name sounded familiar. But from where? Her head began to ache.

"Do I… resemble someone, Miyu? I am Lemures's younger brother!"

"Lemures?" The dull ache quickly escalated into a pounding headache. She clutched her temples desperately as the memories came back to her. She felt small treads of magic being woven through the air, penetrating her skull and painfully probing her mind. _Lemures… also a Western Shinma… who had called Larva an old friend. I banished him to the Dark…_The world began to spin around her as the pain throbbed in her head. _Back to the Darkness… returned to the Darkness…_

…killed you right away…

A new sharp pain appeared on Miyu's land and she felt a warm warmth trickle down her wrist. Something had cut her very deeply. Then she felt a hand wrap around her neck. "I must silence the call of your blood… I should have done this as soon as I found you…"

"No!" Miyu cried out as she struggled in Larva's grasp. "Please, don't!" _A dream… am I still dreaming?_ All pain and fear disappeared in the space of a heartbeat as a new feeling washed over her mind. Larva's eye suddenly went wide and he released his grip from around her neck, stepping back as he looked into his eyes. All sense and thought was lost to Miyu as she wrapped her arms around Larva's neck. She pulled herself up and bit his throat, taking his blood for the first time as her fist victim and sealed them together, forever. _A dream, so bitter… the day my humanity was lost. I made Larva my… first victim… Larva…_ Miyu called up upon all the strength and will power she still had control of to shake off the weight of the dream weaver's spell and clear her mind and called out mentally for Larva. It did not lost any longer than a few seconds before the dark spell engulfed her again.

Watching her distress, Night Gia laughed. "What fun I am having at you expense. You will die in the same pain and agony you feel now, as you felt then…"

"I think we may be too late!" Ryuko said suddenly, stopping where he stood in the forest of the Japanese Spirit Realm.

"What do you mean?" Kia asked, sounding a little alarmed.

"They're all ready attacking Miyu. There are Dream Weaving spells in the air; I can feel them. Only Western Shinma can form Dream Weaves. We have to hurry!"

The five Chinese Shinma took off at a dead sprint through the snow-covered forest.

* * *

_Larva… Larva…_

A faint voice was calling to him, very weakly. He was in another part of the Japanese Shinma Realm, an open grassy field with no beginning and no end and nothing to obscure the flat land as far as the eyes could see. He often came here to think, usually when Miyu was at school, but now he needed to think about everything that had been happening. The Chinese Shinma being here. The Western Shinma coming here. The foresight of an ancient prophecy. His dream in which he had killed Miyu. 

No matter how far away he was from her, he could always hear her through their mind link as clearly as if she were standing right next to him. But his time it was muffled, as if she was calling to him from the other side of a glass window five inches thick. She was being blocked by something, a spell most likely, and it sounded as if she was in pain. It was not the spell of a Japanese Shinma, and the Chinese Shinma had probably not turned their backs on her. It had to be that on a Western Shinma.

_Miyu? Can that be Miyu calling me? She's crying…? _Knowing he had to get to her as soon as possible, he began to run through the field, to a place that would allow him to get to her easily.

A bright flash of white light flared in front of him, causing him to cease in his tracks. It blazed for only a moment, then began to fade; a Transportation spell. In the center of the light was a person, a young woman, dressed in a simple traveler's gown of deep burgundy, hood up and a white mask covering her face; the mask of a Western Shinma. A few stands of blonde hair were loose from under her hood and they swayed gently in the wind created by the Transportation spell. "Larva," the woman said. "I've missed you!"

Larva stared at the figure before him, wondering how she knew his name. She certainly was not anyone he knew. "Who… are you?" He asked uncertainly.

"I saw you in Miyu's dreams." She said instead of answering his question. "Poor Larva! You've been tainted by her blood."

Remembering the cry of distress that continued in the back of his mind, he asked, worried, "Has something happened to Miyu?"

The figure gave a start, stumbling back a step. A feeling of rage radiated from her, but it soon faded. "I can't- no, I _won't_ forgive this!" She said in an extremely icy tone, reached up to push the hood of her dress back. "How could that… that half-human Shinma steal my… my…" Blonde hair tumbled from out under her hood and onto her slender shoulders before she removed her mask as well. She looked back at him with startling deep blue eyes. "My precious Larva!"

Larva recognized her face almost immediately. "Carlua…" he said in near disbelief. Had he really been gone for so long? The last time he saw her she was only a child… now she looked to be as old, if not older than Miyu. "Are you Carlua?"

For a moment they only stared at each other, then Carlua took a step forward, color rising in her cheeks as she lifted a hand to tough his face. "Larva… yes, it's me. You're little cousin. I've been waiting a long time for you. You never came back, so I'm here to take you back!" She came closer and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Larva tried to step back, but found himself unable to as his cousin, his baby cousin, embraced him in almost a loving fashion. The last time he saw her, she was only a child looking about five or six, standing in the middle of a field on evening, crying. She had looked upset when the Elder Counsel had invited him to sit with them during the meeting and asked her to wait outside. She stamped her foot and stormed away with an angry scowl on her face. She had always hated being treated like a child. After the meeting he went looking for her, pretending like he did not notice her tears before. 

_"Are you playing 'hide and go seek?'" He asked her when he found her out in the practice field behind the castle._

She turned around and glared at him, the lantern light from the chambers behind him shining off her tears. "Don't treat me like a child!" she said angrily. "I'm mad!"

"About the meeting?" He asked as if he had not noticed before.

"Yeah… They even let you in on it, but grownups always leave me out!"

Larva went up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "You're a bold child, aren't you…"

Carlua threw herself against him, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I told you before, I'm not a child!" She loosened her grip and looked up at him. The tears were now gone "Say, why did you have the meeting?" He remained silent, knowing that his answer would only upset her. "Hey! Why are you quiet?"

He smiled, shaking his head a little. "You said you weren't a child, right?" he asked.

"Yes, I did!"

"Then I won't keep anything back from you. I'm going to Japan."

Carlua remained quiet, but her grip on the sleeves of his coat tightened. "Ja… Japan? Why are you going to Japan? Why?" She tried to keep back the tears that she could feel wielding in her eyes. He did not answer her. She looked back up into his face again. "Larva, you're coming back… aren't you?"

He smiled again. He had such a nice smile. "Of course, Carlua!"

Carlua harrumphed, turning away from him to try to look strong and to also hide her unshed tears that were still in her eyes. "Then there's nothing I can do to try to stop you then. I guess I'll just have to play with Lemunia until you get back. Though I really don't like that thought, since he is just a child…"

Larva chuckled a little. "Carlua, be a good girl!"

She turned around angrily and yelled, "Stop treating me like a baby!"

* * *

The sea stirred, then shot upwards in a furious waterspout, spinning towards the Gate of the Japanese Shinma Realm at Water Lipper's commands with the awesome force of a tidal wave. The water encircled the Gate, pounding and thrashing at it relentlessly, but it did little damage. "Let's be done with this quickly." Water Lipper snickered. "A Gate without a Sentinel is nothing more than a toy. It shouldn't be that hard to take!" But the waterspout did little damage to the gate; there was hardly a scratch. Water Lipper growled silently, trying to mask her frustration, and clenched her hand into a fist. The water fell away from the Gate and back into the ocean, and it was still once again. This was going to prove to be a little more difficult than they would have thought. "Who's next?" she asked, annoyed, turning back to her companions.

"I am!" Spartoi said, stepping forward. The bronze dragon that was coiled around his shoulders opened its eyes, blazing red. It became animated, uncoiling from his broad shoulders like a huge snake. Spartoi pet its head almost lovingly. "Go forth," he told it. "And show that your powers are greater than that of these waters!" The giant snake uncurled its self from his body and raced towards the Gate. It grew in size rapidly, changing from the form of a snake to that of a huge, horned dragon. It bellowed as it closed in on the Gate.

"Let me help too, Spartoi." Amy said as he approached from behind. He lay a slender feminine hand on Spartoi's shoulder. His eyes gleamed, as if reflecting from a fire. He suddenly loudly yelled "Fire Crush!" The now huge dragon reared and breathed a gale of red and orange fire from its gaping mouth. The Gate caught fire very quickly.

Watching it burn, with the dragon coiled around it and the waters still agitating angrily at the Gate's base, Cait Sith laughed. "Well done, my comrades!"

* * *

"Where... am I?" A young Miyu wondered aloud. She was in a strange world now; a barren desert-like with a cracked dry mud ground and the occasional flat-topped rock hill; a land with three red suns that shone dully in the dead crimson sky. Everything looked dead. "Is this the place my bird went to? But my bird isn't here..."

Watching her from a place that she could not see, from the state of reality, Lemunia felt entertained. "She's wandering like a human: so aimlessly. How pathetic!" He laughed.

"Well, she was brought up as a human. It is what a typical half-breed would do. This is her weakness, which makes it so easy to turn her own dreams against her."

"Hey, this is fun! Why don't we torture her some more?" Lemunia suggested with more than a hint in his voice.

"Well... all right." 

Miyu began to run across the land, frantically looking for a way out. Night Gia raised his rapier above his head and concentrated his powers. Lightning shattered the sky and thunder soon rolled in heavily just behind it. Miyu dropped to her knees, screaming. "Eeeek! Lightning!" She covered her head with her arms as a lightning bolt struck the ground not more than a few feet behind her from where she was crouched.

Lemunia laughed a loud at her. "What a pose! You look beautiful, Vampire!"

Miyu scrambled to her feet and started to run again in a panic, trying to get away from whatever was after her. Lightning struck again, only this time striking her in the back. She cried out in pain as she fell into a heap on the ground.

Then she was herself again. The world was still dark around her, in this evil dream realm. In her true form, unhurt, but the throbbing hot pain between her shoulder blades reminded her painfully of what had just happened in the instant before. "A... a dream? Is it still a dream? Just a dream... Then why can't I wake up from it?"

"You're right." Night Gia said with a sly smile on his lips. He raised his rapier and caressed the blade almost lovingly. "It is your dreams brought to reality, so you can't wake up. Everything is real in this dream state, including that lightning. Yet you can not wake up, yet you will feel all the pain." Miyu was able to pull herself up to her feet, but the pain kept her bent over. Sweat rolled down her face. Night Gia chuckled, pointing the rapier at her. He ran it along her shoulder gently, mocking her. "Poor Miyu, does it hurt? Your dreams are too sorrowful for your own good!"

Lemunia laughed loudly. "Suffer and die, Vampire Princess!"

_Larva... Larva..._

There was a bright flash of light and the rapier soared from Night Gia's hand. It landed, point down in the ground about ten feet away. "What? What was that?" Night Gia and Lemunia looked about them, searching for the source of the attack. "Who dares? Who is out there? Show yourselves!"

Five figures stepped out from the shadows of the dream realm of Night Gia's mind. That caused start for him as it was- how were these Shinma able to get into his world? Only a Dream Weaver could walk through the realm of another- but it was the presence that his breath catch. Not Japanese Shinma, but something different. There were two females and three males, looking roughly about his age, with the characteristics of animals on different parts of their bodies. They were like any Shinma that he or Lemunia had ever seen before. "Did you honestly think that you could successfully attack and do away with a Shinma with an entire realm behind her, Sir?" A girl with long black hair and white wings growing from her back asked.

Night Gia cocked his head up, giving them a sideways glare. "Do we... know each other?" He asked. 

"Not personally, but you should know of us. It's always important to know all you are up against before springing a surprise attack on a country." The other girl with a long brown braid said, waving her hand from side to side as she spoke.

Despite the fading pain in her joints, Miyu picked herself up a little more. "Surly you must have heard of their names. These are my friends, the Chinese Shinma."

"Chinese... Shinma?" Night Gia sounded shocked and Lemunia's mouth only hung open.

The shortest one of the five- he was still five and a half feet tall- a young man looking about sixteen or seventeen in human terms stepped forward. He had a dark mark running diagonally down his face, largely pointed gray ears, yellow eyes and the limbs and tail of a gray wolf. "Western Shinma, I couldn't help but notice how you were using illusions to attack our friend just a short time ago."

Night Gia became angered. "Illusions! I use dreams to attack my enemies, not illusions! You have got quiet some nerve, young demon-beast."

"Ohh, that really hurt. I think I just may go off and cry now, pretty boy. You may say differently, but you still use magic to create images in the air that truly aren't there, do you not? That is still illusory. I challenge you to a fight. I am Ryuko Destryn'dewr, Second Heir to the Wolfing Throne, Darkblood and Puppet Master in training. Do accept my challenge?"

"I never turn down a challenge!" Night Gia said, retrieving his rapier from its resting-place. "I'll just have to get back to Miyu later."

"Night Gia, don't do it!" Lemunia said from off to the side, opposite of the other Chinese Shinma. "I've heard stories about their fighting skills!"

Night Gia only ignored him. "I am Night Gia of the Western Shinma, master Dream Weaver. I accept your challenge, Chinese Shinma!"

"Very well, Illusionist." Ryuko said, drawing a sword from literally thin air. The hilt was a maze of gold and onyx and the end of the blade ended in the shape of the point of a spearhead. "Let's see what you've got."


	5. Illusions of Nightmares

Chapter Five

Illusions of Nightmares

_Larva… Larva…_

The voice still called out to out to him, just as desperate but not as shielded as before. "Miyu… I must go." He wrenched his mind away from the vision in his head and once again took notice of Miyu's painful cries. He turned to go back when Carlua grabbed his wrist with a grip that would not loosen for the world.

"I can't let you go! You're coming back with me!" She said defiantly but her tone soon crumbled to pleading. "You are a Western Shinma! You must come back."

Larva did not look at her. "I am sorry, Carlua." He said softly. Twisting his wrist around he pulled his hand free of her grasp and disappeared through a Transport Gate. 

"Larva!" His cousin cried desperately after him. "Larva! LARVAAAA!"

* * *

Osa stirred. Something was not right in the First Layer. There was someone here who was not supposed to be here and was brutally attacking one of the Gates. It was the Gate that was on the shore of the ocean that separated the Western and Japanese Shinma Realms. A Shinma huge of size though weak of power, he had long ago taken the form of a tree-like being, a shapeless body with many limb-like arms that forked branches and twigs. The only thing that broke the dead blackness of his body with the single red eye that shone where his head would have been. 

He traveled through the First Layer of the Japanese Spirit Realm, a small section of the realm that lay between the ocean and the mountain range. He had sensed that something bad was going to happen when the snows began. Now things were not only bad- they were worse. There were Western Shinma in their world trying to take out the Gate and Miyu was not there to defend this. Osa approached the Gate, staying at a safe distance. The Western Shinma were still on their ship, nestled in the bay that sat a few hundred meters away from the Torii Gate. Water swirled in violent rapids at its base, a dragon had coiled its body around the Gate, which was engulfed in red flames. He gasped. THIS IS… THIS IS HORRIBLE! He said. It really was not a voice said from the throat, but a mental voice that was projected from the mind. It was a higher and more sophisticated way of communication- all the Elders in the past, present and future would possess that type of voice. WHERE IS MIYU? WHAT CAN SHE POSSIBLY BE DOING?

"All right…" Cait Sith chuckled from the ship, watching the weakening Gate. "Let us finish this off, Pazusu!"

"Yes." Pazusu agreed. He held out a hand towards the Gate and a small globe of white energy magic formed in his palm. He began to recite a magical spell in a long forgotten tongue and the entire Gate began to glow. It began to creak and looked as if it were bending.

"Now, the finish!" Cait Sith yelled out. He gathered up his own magic and let it fly at the weakened Torii Gate. Black energy flew from his hands, solidifying into the forms of the heads of cats that flew, screaming at the Gate. They hit directly in the center, and the Gate exploded. 

Osa cried out: MIYU!

* * *

Miyu screamed as she felt the breaking of the Gate. She held her head in her hands. "The Gate!" she cried. "The Gate has fallen! There's nothing in the way to stop them!"

Ryuko gritted his teeth together. Because of these bastards, any enemy could now freely enter the Japanese Realm from the Western Gate, on the side of the Realm whose ocean separated the two worlds. "All right, Shinma Night Gia, let's see what you've got." The air shimmered as the Illusion magic began to wake. The Illusion world soon became cloaked in a light gray mist. The two Shinma charged each other and Ryuko threw the first attack. He threw his hand forward and the light around them condensed into a spiral that surrounded Night Gia, spinning quickly, pulsing as it constantly changed sizes. It threw Night Gia off and he stopped as the world seemed to spin all around him. This gave Ryuko enough time to gain the upper hand and hit Night Gia in the jaw with the hilt of his sword. Suddenly a numbing pain spread in his own jaw, right in the spot where he had struck at Night Gia. The illusion broke and both opponents stumbled back, clutching their faces. Night Gia tasted the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. He shook his head and threw a lightning bolt at the Wolfin, who just barely dodged out of the way. This continued a few times, but the Chinese Shinma was too fast for him. Then something hit him in the back of the head, followed by a muffled grunt. The Wolfin before him vanished and he turned to see the real Ryuko standing behind him, rubbing the back of his head. He had created a dummy that had diverted Night Gia away from the real Shinma, and it had worked, but his magic also had had a good effect on his opponent. Night Gia chuckled. "A Reflection Spell." He said dryly. "Any pain that I feel you will feel as well. Unfortunately for you, it will not work in the opposite direction." He jabbed at Ryuko with his rapier and cut him along the shoulder, and a thin stream of blood began to trickle down his arm. Ryuko growled.

Sitting off on the sidelines, the Chinese Shinma were tending to a weak Miyu while Lemunia watched on the other side. Miyu was relieved that they had come to help her, but where was Larva? There was a little action going on between the two fighting Shinma, and a lot of the time it looked as if they did not see each other. One time Ryuko was able to get behind Night Gia for a clear shot at his back and the Western Shinma did not even see him. Yoshi snorted. "Illusion fights are so boring. You can never see what's really going on!"

Night Gia was proving to be a more powerful fighter than Ryuko had anticipated. He trying another Double Image spell, but Night Gia felt it coming and was able to round on him and jab at him again, opening a fresh, narrow cut across his chest. Using his illusion power was going to get them no where if he was not going to use his full potential, and he really did not want to hurt this guy just yet. He mumbled a quick spell under his breath and charged Night Gia again, sword raised high. Night Gia rose his rapier to block the attack. Metal clashed on metal, and the thin blade of the rapier barely held against the heavier blade of the Chinese's Shinma sword. They broke away, Ryuko flipping in a sort of backward roundhouse and landing upright on his feet. "Our illusionary attacks are only canceling each other out." He said. "Unless you have something more clever and challenging up your sleeve, the only one to walk away unhurt from a sword fight will be the victor."

"Fine by me!" Night Gia yelled back. Ryuko charged again and dropped to his knees and lashing out a wolf-like foot, knocking Night Gia's own feet out from under him. Night Gia fell down with a heavy crash; the Western Shinma's lack of martial skills could be easily seen. Ryuko sneered and tried to impale his with the end of his broadsword if he had not rolled out of the way. He turned quickly and slashed at Ryuko's hand, leaving another cut on his skin. Then he cried out in pain as it felt as if a whip had struck the back of his own hand. Taking off his glove he saw a red welt forming on his usually pale skin.

Ryuko licked the wound on his hand, much like a wolf nursing a wound of its own. He smiled. "A Circular Reflection Spell. Unlike most spells, they won't cancel each other out, but they do create a loop. Now what ever I feel, you will feel. Unless you have something better, I suggest we call it a draw. I'm beginning to get bored."

"Night Gia!" Lemunia yelled from the sides. "You can't win that way! Use the Dream Weaving spell?"

"Hey runt, no encouraging from the side lines! If you want to help, then get in there!" Tacha yelled at him, and the boy instantly shut up.

Night Gia heard though and took the thought into consideration. He took up his rapier in his hands and held it above his head, eyes closed and concentrating his powers. Ryuko watched him, wondering silently what he could possibly be doing. Suddenly the physical world around him changed, and he was in a palace made of dark precious stones and woods, with black and white tiled floors, golden electric lights and elaborate tapestries. He was at home, in the palace that his uncle the King of the Wolfin lived in at the heart of the Wolfin city. And he was standing in front of a small closet. _Oh, no…_ he looked down at his paws, and saw they were that of a child's. He was five thousand years old, which was roughly about five in human terms. _No… no, no, no, not this, anything but this…_ But he could not stop himself. Cautiously and curiously, he stepped into the closet, his body ignoring the pleas in his mind to go back. He was now all the way in the closet, in the darkness… and the door slammed behind him. He was locked in the dark, small, stuffy closet, locked, in a hallway that was empty when he had stepped in,, Ryuko clawed at the door and howled with all he had, but no one heard him. The air became thicker as a more serious panic took over until eventually shock washed over his mind. No one came. No one knew he was in there.

"What's… what's happening to him?" Miyu asked. Ryuko dropped his sword to his side and collapsed to the ground, groaning and clutching his head in his hands. Soon he began to cry out desperately, "Please! Someone help me! Mommy! Daddy! Open the closet door! I'm locked in! Anybody! Help me, please!"

"When he was about five going by the time periods you're used to," Yoto explained. "He accidentally locked himself in a hallway closet and it took nearly too hours before someone heard him and unlocked the door. He was in shock and had passed out from the stuffiness and lack of oxygen, and he's had nightmares about it for many thousands of years after that."

"The Shinma's using his dreams against him. He did the same to me. Is there anything we can do to help?"

Kia shook her head gravely. "We didn't issue the challenge. There is nothing we can do to help." Miyu grimaced, then looked back.

The two Western Shinma were smiling quiet smugly, and Night Gia began to walk over to Ryuko who was nothing more that a whimpering heap on the ground. "Do it, Night Gia!" Lemunia yelled. "Kill him!"

"That's it!" Kia exclaimed as she rose from her squatting position on the ground and marched over to Lemunia, followed closely by Yoshi and Tacha. When he saw the bigger Chinese Shinma coming towards him, he got up and tried to bolt, but Yoshi roughly grabbed the back of his cloak and hulled him above the ground so he was looking Lemunia in the face. "Easy Yosh." His sister warned. "He's just a kid!"

"Out with it punk!" Yoshi demanded. "What are you doing here? What purposes do you have being here in the first place? And what excuses do you have to attacking Miyu in such an unfair manner?"

"Choose your words wisely, boy." Tacha growled and bared her teeth, exposing inch-long fangs.

"Your fate may depend on how you answer." Kia snarled. 

"I… I…" Lemunia stammered. His gaze suddenly changed from terrified to stern. "Why should I tell you for any reason? You're supposed to be just stories that mothers use to scare children with when they misbehave!"

"Do they not teach history where you come from?" Yoshi asked, rolling his crimson eyes.

"If we're just stories, then how is it that we're in your face and threatening to break it if we don't get some answers?" Kia said, holding up her scaly hand in a fist an inch away from his nose. She then smiled; a cold, hard smile with hard unyielding eyes. "It is a shame that you're so pretty." Her fist uncurled, and her brushed her three inch black talon-like claws across his smooth cheek. He flinched and tried to pull away, but Yoshi's grasp held tight. "I would hate to do anything to it if you don't tell us anything. Now why don't you be a good little boy and…"

It suddenly felt as if they had all been shoved through a pane of glass as the illusion world around them shattered along with the illusions being woven through it. The world of the Japanese Shinma Realm once again too its place. Night Gia's concentration was broken, and Ryuko slowly uncurled himself from the ball he had been reduced to. Yoshi dropped Lemunia, who ran back to his companion. Ryuko quickly gathered himself and crawled back over to his own companions, his tail tucked between his legs. Yoto asked him if he was all right, and Ryuko only shook his head shakily. The fight was a draw, but a defeat would have been more humiliating that the condition he had been in a few moments ago.

Miyu looked fanatically around for the source of their savior. A voice calling her name drew her attention to a dark tree with no branches. Larva was there, his face masked and hood up, looking down at the scene. A smile broke out on her exhausted face with relief and joy of seeing him.

Night Gia looked behind his shoulder at the invader of his world and glowered at his one time companion. _He invaded my dream realm?_ He thought angrily. Larva jumped down from the tree branch he had been standing on and landed before Miyu, putting himself between her and the other Western Shinma. Night Gia made a silent vexed sound as he saw this situation. _Larva… you really have become her slave…_

Lemunia felt more anger towards Larva than Night Gia did. This man did, after all, banished his best friend, Lemunia's older brother Lemures, to the Dark where he was still aimlessly wondering about no doubt. _Larva! Show your face from under that mask. How can you stand there covered up like a coward?_

Miyu went up to her guardian and leaned against his back. "This time…" she said in a weary tone. "You were almost _too_ late. I was getting tired of waiting…" She clutched to his cloak.

Kia glared at him, her arms crossed beneath her breasts. "It certainly took you long enough." She said irritably. 

"Night Gia…" Larva said quietly, looking at the Western Shinma that stood before them. 

"So, you do remember us?" Night Gia asked, his lips turning up in a sly smile. "How wonderful!"

The second Western Shinma, a young boy whose face just barely escaped the grasp of his memory, glared at him. A black scarf was wrapped tightly around his nose and mouth. "You traitor." He growled.

* * *

A thick gray mist had covered the ground and the clouds in the sky threatened another snowstorm. The Western Shinma walked through the land carefully. They were on enemy ground, after all. But the land seemed deserted. Maybe this job would be easier than any of them thought.

Cait Sith snorted. A black twig snapped under his foot. "Weak…" he muttered. "She is far too weak. How disappointing! She is not a worthy opponent of us."

The fog began to stir, and a very large and old presence was heading their way. It was not hard to find out it was the Elder of the First Layer. He rose from the shadows, looming over the Western Shinma though the scent of fear that radiated from him was strong. YOU… There was anger mixed in the fear in his Voice. WHO ARE YOU…?

"Hi!" Cait Sith said cheerfully. "Or rather, pleased to meet you."

WHY ARE YOU WESTERN SHINMA HERE? Osa demanded.

Cait Sith chuckled. "You did not expect our little surprise attack, did you?"

Fear began to overcome the anger. MIYU… WHERE IS MIYU?

"Who knows?" Cait Sith said. "What do you think?" He chuckled again. "Actually, she's playing with our friends."

"And she'll soon follow you destiny as well." Pazusu added. Osa remained silent, cowering back.

"Hey, why don't you answer?" Amy asked. "The red light is dimming… let it rest in peace, Cait Sith?"

"You're right…" A chilling smile crossed Cait Sith's face. A globe of white energy magic formed in his hand. Lightning began to surround it, a very powerful spell. A spell that could rip through a tree trunk. "Good bye." He threw the energy at Osa, and the ancient Elder had no time to escape. The energy tore through his body and he died with a painful, trailing scream. The Western Shinma let his hand fall back down to his side.

Cait Sith grunted. "This country is spoiled by peace. Even Shinma like you take it for granted! Such carelessness brought this on."

"This country will be easy to take over!" Amy said with a smile.

"And we are here to reap it!" Spartoi added.

"Is that all there is?" Water Lipper asked.

"No!" Cait Sith said as if alarmed. "It is not that easy!"

"The Japanese Shinma Realm consists of five Layers." Pazusu began to explain. "We have just taken over the First one. The last Layer will surely be the strongest of them all."

"The mightiest always come last." Amy said from off to the side.

The air rippled and shimmered with a Transportation spell and the fog solidified into a young woman with blonde hair wearing a dark burgundy dress. "Lord Pazusu…" she called out plaintively. Pazusu turned to the young girl. Her eyes were sad and it looked as if she had been crying.

"Carlua?" He went over to her, but before he could ask her what had upset her so much, she told him everything in a rush. "Is that so?"

The snow began to fall again.

* * *

"I now merely hunt wandering Shinma." Larva explained to the Western Shinma. "So why don't you too just leave…"

"Larva! Did you say let them go?" Miyu jumped back into a tree, landing gracefully on a branch.   
"No way! I can't let them go! They really pissed me off!"

"She's right!" Tacha said. "We can't let them go! Ryuko, I think you have some vengeance to take on them!" 

Ryuko nodded. He turned to Miyu. "Miyu, requesting your permission to beat the crap out of this guy. I know that both of our dignities have been hurt, but I think I can scare these guys off without killing them."

Miyu pouted. "Well where's the fun in that?" She sighed. "Very well. There will be other times for me to get my vengeance as well."

Lemunia tried to make a run for it, but Yoto and Tacha proved to be faster and seized him by his arms before he could get very far. "Hold him steady, guys." Ryuko said.

"Ryuko, you're not really going to…?" Kia asked.

"I'm not too sure, yet." He said, sheathing his sword- more like making it disappear into thin air- in a flash of black light. "It's defiantly going to be enough to give them a good scare, but I have not decided what the outcome will be yet." He turned to Night Gia sharply and held both hands out in front of him, blue energy swirling. "Now you will know what the term 'Puppet Master' is. Obey Your Master!" He said loudly in a commanding voice. The blue energy turned into fine strings of light that flew at Night Gia, wrapping around every part of his body and holding tight, coming back to wrap around Ryuko's fingers. 

"What… what is this magic?" Night Gia asked, pulling at the strings. They merely tightened around his skin, making him cry out in pain. 

"A powerful form of illusion that the most powerful Blackbloods are able to perform; Puppeteering. The simplest movements on my parts, and I can control a person's entire body. You're completely at my mercy!" He moved his hands, twisting his wrists and fingers, and Night Gia did begin to move with Ryuko's bidding with no protest. Ryuko moved his arms and the Western Shinma bent down to pick his rapier up. With shaky movements, he began to walk over to where Tacha and Yoto were holding Lemunia. 

"This is going to be messy, isn't it?" Tacha asked, and she and Yoto stepped as far away from Lemunia as they could while retaining their hold.

Lemunia's eyes bugged larger than Night Gia's. "No!" he stammered. "You wouldn't! Are you really that cruel?" Night Gia gritted his teeth together as the strings pulled his arms above his head, the blade pointing down at the younger Western Shinma. Lemunia began to struggle forcefully but the grips of the Chinese Shinma were like iron.

"Please forgive me, Lemunia!" Night Gia said as Ryuko prepared to skewer Lemunia. Larva gave a start. Lemunia… Lemures's younger brother. No wonder he recognized him. Like Carlua, he was only a small child when he left for the Japanese Shinma Realm. 

Night Gia began to chant something that was in a tongue that no one could understand. Only Larva and Tacha gasped. "Ryuko!" She said urgently. "Break it now!"

Suddenly the strings that held him loosened and snapped all together, sending Night Gia flying. The chanting immediately stopped. Yoto and Tacha let go of Lemunia as Night Gia hurled into him. Both lay sprawled on the ground, looking back at the Western Shinma with wide and frightened eyes.

"Get out of here." Ryuko said with hard and cold yellow eyes. "Next time you may not be so lucky." The two Shinma before them scrambled to their feet and began to run away.

"Hold on a moment." Kia said and pointed a long slender at Night Gia. The end of the digit glowed faintly with a purple light, and the same light enveloped Night Gia, stopping him in his tracks. "You, back to the ship." She whirled her finger around and pointed her thumb behind her shoulder, and Night Gia disappeared in a flash of light. Lemunia kept on running.

Miyu frowned as she watched the boy run away and disappear through a Transportation gate. "Why did you let them go? No he's going back to warn the others!"

"I know, I know, but we can't afford to kill anyone, at the moment." Tacha said. 

"I could have." Ryuko said. "Not only could I have Night Gia kill his own companion but those stings could have torn him to shreds. We just don't want to use full force yet. I don't mean to gloat, but if I were to use my full power, the fight would have only been about two minutes long before he was dead."

"We did a little bit of calculations, and we came to the conclusion that a wrong move can really screw our world up."

"What do you mean?" Miyu asked.

Kia explained: "Shinma always have a major impact on our environment. A clash of Clans has a lot to do with it. With all three Clans here, it's putting a lot of stress on the Japanese Shinma Realm, and we don't exactly know what's going to happen. We're afraid that it could cause some major disturbance in the Spiritual Realms, and I mean _all _the Realms; yours, theirs, and mine. Also, we may need them around for later. This may play into the danger of the Japanese Shinma Realm prophecy thing or some crap like that."

Larva came up to Miyu from behind and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Miyu, may I speak to you for a moment?"

Miyu turned and looked up at him with a smile. She still looked very tired. "Of course! You know you don't have to ask." The Chinese Shinma had already walked the other way and were sitting in a small circle, talking silently among themselves. "What is it you want to talk about?"

"Are you sure that you don't need to rest for a while?"

"No, I'm all right."

"Miyu, I think I should warn you not to underestimate the Western Shinma. Night Gia was trying to curse you with all the free will he had when the Chinese Shinma was controlling him."

Miyu bit the corner of her lower lip. "Is that so? Western Shinma have some nerve… But as long as I have you, I'll be all right." She looked up at him. "Right?"

Larva nodded. "Yes."

Miyu smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, Larva." She said with a giggle. She only said that sometimes, but he always guessed it was out of friendly fondness.

"By the way," she said as she let herself down and looked up at him again with seriousness in her eyes that had quickly replaced the playfulness. "Do you think we should go after that little boy?"

"Who? Oh, you mean Lemunia…" He certainly did not look that little anymore. 

"Yes, Lemures's younger brother."

"Perhaps we should." Larva said, removing his white mask and pushing the hood of his black cloak down. "Though the other Western Shinma are probably already on their way here after they nearly killed two of their men."

Miyu laced her fingers together, turned her palms out and stretched her arms, leaning back into Larva's arms as she did so. "Wow, he sure runs fast! I'll just have to get him back next time. How dare they talk to me that way!" Larva said nothing, but he felt a new worried anguish grip his heart. "All your comrades are ganging up to take you away from me." Miyu said, sounding a little sadder this time.

"Actually," Larva said. "I don't think I was his main target." Miyu craned her head up and saw the worried look in his red eyes.

"What is it, Larva?" She asked, turning around so she was facing him.

He shook his head, managing a smile that he was sure was not convincing. "It's nothing!" He said, forcing the tone of his voice to not sound troubled. "I'm all right. I'm sorry for being to late today." He gently cupped Miyu's face in his white hands.

"Larva…?" No matter how he could change his voice, an anxious look was still reflected in his eyes. _What is it? What's going on? He's keeping something back…_ She pulled away from his hand but entered his arms, wrapping her arms securely around his slender waist and burying her face against his chest. "Don't be so… so overprotected. I can take care of myself." _What is it you are hiding? What is it that bothers you so?_

* * *

Carlua kept her head bowed to the ground as Pazusu was talking to not only her but all the Western Shinma. "We must perform _Mashujutsu_."

"_Mashujutsu?"_ Carlua gulped. _Mashujutsu_. There was exact translation for it, but it meant "The Dark Exorcism" or something like that. The blackest of the black magic. Even the most powerful sorcerers were afraid to use it. A very risky and dangerous spell to perform. One mistake could lead to death.

"Otherwise, Larva will…"

"Lord Pazusu!" Carlua said desperately, not wanting to hear the rest.

Cait Sith clenched his hand into a tight fist. "Enough of this! We must bring Larva back to us!" All the other Western Shinma smiled contently. Carlua turned away and looked up into the gray sky as the snow fell around her.

_Larva…_

* * *

Miyu ran through the forests of the Japanese Shinma Realm to where the Western Shinma were at; just beyond the ruins of the Torii Gate near the Western Sea, that would have prevented the Western Shinma from getting into their realm. But now it was down, and they were advancing fast. Larva followed closely behind her. _I fear we may all ready be too late!_ Miyu thought. _We've got to hurry!_

The Chinese Shinma were not with them. Miyu briefly remembered their conversation before she left to pursue the invaders. _"Miyu do you still have that devise I gave you?" Kia asked. Miyu nodded. "Good. I have a feeling that something very bad is going to happen next."_

"Though we did not kill Night Gia and Lemunia," Yoto added. "Not receiving death after a defeat injures a Shinma's pride more than death itself. They will be greatly insulted by it, so don't expect them to go easy on you if a brawl is to break out."

"If there is the slightest problem, push the button." Kia said again. "We'll come as quickly as we can."

I'm certain that sound I heard during battle was the anguished cry of out Elder! "Is he… already gone?" Miyu wondered aloud. Her fast pace faulted for a moment but she soon regained it. "Larva, we must hurry!"

The western Torii Gate was an absolute mess. It lay as a mass of shattered and burnt wood, still smoldering from the abuse it had taken until it broke. It was the most horrific sight that Miyu had seen for a long time. "What is this? They did this?"

A great amount of power had been used here. During the Shinma Wars, the Gate was not even scratched. The suspicions that Larva had of exactly who were here was growing stronger. "It can't be!" He said. "This is…" The snow fell about them, hissing as it touched the blackened wood of the once strong and proud Gate.

* * *

"_Mashujutsu… _That the only way we can save Larva?" Carlua asked, looking into Pazusu's eyes. If it truly was the only way, she had no choice but to listen to the procedure.

"That's right." Pazusu said. "Larva has been tainted by Miyu's blood. Through it, she controls him. Once extracted, he shall be cleansed."

"Thus…" Cait Sith said. A sinister and chilling smile crossed his face. "Larva must die first."

Carlua sighed heavily, clutching her hands to her chest. She was afraid of hearing that. It was the _Mashujutsu_ that needed death to start a new life. "D-d-die?" She repeated shakily.

"And Carlua," Pazusu started again. "The Sorcery requires the participation of a blood relative. Your blood is necessary if we are to succeed. If we fail, both of you will end up dying.

Carlua suddenly exclaimed: "But, if through my blood we can save Larva… I'll do it!"

"Excellent!" Pazusu agreed.

"Well then," Spartoi said. "Larva really didn't betray us then! Right?"

Amy snorted and looked a little jealous. "Even so, it's hard to believe Larva could succumb to such a little girl."

"Could Miyu be such a capable adversary?" Water Lipper inquired. A sudden flash of light from a Transportation Gate caught her attention as well as all the other Western Shinma and Lemunia appeared from it. There was a look of panic in his eyes.

"Night…Night Gia has been defeated! Miyu's on her way here!"

"What?" Spartoi exploded. "Night Gia? Killed?"

"No, not killed… he's back at the ship…But damn it! Larva was there! They could have killed him but he did nothing to help! That damned traitor!"

"He's not a traitor!" Carlua yelled back. "It's Miyu's blood that's controlling him! You saw it, didn't you? In Miyu's dream, right?"

"Wh-what can we do?" Lemunia asked, calming down a little.

"We have to get Larva back!" Carlua cried.

"Lemunia," Pazusu said. "Who are these 'they' you are talking about?"

"Chinese Shinma!" Lemunia blurted. "Chinese Shinma! Five of them! They helped Miyu, and one of them almost killed Night Gia and myself!"

"This could change everything…" Pazusu said, sounding doubtful for the first time since the beginning of the mission.

"So Miyu's coming," Cait Sith said, looking into the forest before the great mountain range. "How convenient for us! Well then, let's go introduce ourselves!"

* * *

Miyu reentered Larva's arms and he took he away from the ruins of the Torii Gate. There was nothing else she could do here. They reappeared a little further into the First Layer, where the Elder had fallen. Larva gently put Miyu down from his embrace. "I feel, a little bad." Miyu said as she looked at the body of the fallen Elder. Snow had already covered much of Osa's black body. "Is this because you gave me such a difficult task, Elder? This may by the punishment that you deserve…" Miyu knelt close to the body and put her cheek against the cold surface. "Right, Larva?" Her companion said nothing; he only removed his mask again. "Well, lower Layer Shinma never open their mouths." A strange presence surrounded her, an odd tickling feeling along the back of her neck. The feeling she got when ever a Shinma was close; the presence of the Japanese and the Western Shinma was the same, but the feeling of anger that went along with it told her these were Western Shinma. She stood up, tall and proud. "You can come out now, all you Western Shinma!"

Laughter of all sorts drifted through the air as the snow rippled with Transportation spells, and the smoky figures of seven figures solidified into physical bodies. Larva was horrified to see that he knew every one of them. 

"Nice to meet you, Miyu." A Western Shinma with dark skin and light purple hair said. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Cait Sith…"

"I am Water Lipper…" said a woman with water-sprit like ears and long green-blue hair. 

"Amy!" Said a very feminine man with short, fluffy lime-green hair.

"I'm Spartoi!" Said a bid man with a bronze dragon warped around his shoulders.

Lemunia only snorted. One of the last to introduce themselves was a young woman about Miyu's age with curly blonde hair and wearing a dark burgundy dress. She looked very nervous and seemed to have a hard time speaking. "I…I… I am…"

"Who cares?" Miyu said coldly. Larva was stunned to silence. He knew exactly what all of them were here for. Miyu ignored the open disturbed look in his face. "Thanks for coming all the way from the West!" Her manor was very teasing. "But I must say, it is very rude to break down doors instead of knocking. Don't you agree, Larva?" He said nothing and tried to avoid eye contract with the people he had grown up with. In fact, he hid his face all together under the deep hood.

For some of them, it was a joy to see him again. Spartoi smiled and said warmly, "It's been a long time, Larva!"

Once again, the jealous glare flashed across Amy's girlish face. "Gee, it really is a shame, Larva…"

"We must avenge Night Gia!" Water Lipper said as if trying to remind them.

"I'm Carlua!" The blonde said suddenly, as if she had found not only her words but her courage to stand up to Miyu. "I'm Larva's…" She trailed off again.

"Larva's what?"

She took a deep breath. "Larva's cousin!"

"His cousin?" Miyu repeated, sounding very unimpressed. "So what?" Rage twisted Carlua's facial features into an angry scowl. "Ohh, you really frighten me! Does it make you feel special?"

The rage in Carlua exploded into furious words: "I won't forgive you, Miyu!" Water Lipper, Spartoi and Amy charged, and the fight was about to begin.

"Miyu!" Larva cried to her, reaching out a hand and meaning to guard her against his own friends. He could not get to here. Something cold and sharp was quickly drawn across his hand, sending up a small splash of hot blood. Cait Sith was standing before him, holding a small dagger in his hand.

"Come on," he jeered. "I'll take care of you." There was no way past him. Larva had no choice but to fight Cait Sith in order to reach Miyu. 

The sudden rapid advancement from the Western Shinma had startled her and she stumbled back a step. The small devise that Kia had given her fell from the inner pocket of her yukata. It fell to the ground with a metallic _clank,_ followed by a high beeping noise, but no one paid any heed to it.

Spartoi and Amy attacked Miyu at the same time, driving her back and farther away from Larva. They were blocking two ways of escape to the back, and now Water Lipper was standing before her. A faint aura glowed about Water Lipper's hands and Miyu barely jumped out of the way as a massive wave of water was thrown at her. The fight with Night Gia had taken more out of her than she had thought; she was already breathing hard. And this was nothing! She felt another spell being woven behind her; a fire spell. She turned quickly just as Amy threw a plume of fire her direction. Her reaction time was a little slower than she was comfortable with. The heat of the fireball that passed not more than half a foot from her face singed a few strands of her hair. She stumbled back, panting. Larva was fighting with the Western Shinma with the light purple hair, and would cast a worried glance in her direction once in a while.

The air around them grew thicker as new bodies came into the fighting area, and Miyu felt a rush of relief. The little devise had been activated. And they had come to Miyu's assistance, just as they said they would. The Western Shinma did not seem to notice- at first, anyways.

"So Miyu, will you introduce us to your new friends?" Said a voice from behind Spartoi. He frowned and turned around to face the voice, and found himself Face to face with a strikingly beautiful woman with long black hair and hard cold yellow eyes, the pupils only mere slits. A dark mark ran down each eye. She smiled a wide smile, showing white teeth and long, pointed fangs, like an animal. Though he himself was not that bright, he remembered those marks and physical features from his studies. Animal-like hands and legs. Long wings on her back. He gasped loudly and fell backwards, scrambling in small group with Amy and Water Lipper. This Shinma with the bird-like features was not the only one there; there was a guy who that resembled a bat or something along those lines, another beautiful girl that looked like cat, and two other guys who looked like wolves.

"Ch-ch-chinese Shinma!"

"Hey, nice to meet you!" The girl said. "Allow me to introduce myself. Kia Tlykera, of the Avian Clan. My companions about you are, in clockwise order, Yoshi, Tacha, Ryuko and Yoto. Hey, Miyu. Would you like us to help out?" Miyu shook her head nervously. "Okay. Yoshi, you got the fire-controller. Tacha, you take on the water manipulator. I got the one with the small head. Ryuko, you sit off and watch; you're still weak and you've already fought today. Yoto…uh…you go after who ever you can find." She once again turned back to the Western Shinma and all the previously friendliness was burnt away like a fog at midday in summer. She glared at them hard. "Western Shinma, we challenge you to a fight of skill and power in all fairness to the numbers of the fight. Do you accept?"

The Western Shinma exchanged looks to each other, then Water Lipper said, "Very well. Most of us have been curious to what it is like to spar off with your kind, anyway."

Tacha said: "Miyu, you may want to move. This can get messy." Miyu nodded and scrambled to her feet, moving hastily out of the way. 

She looked frantically about the battlefield where her allies and the Western Shinma were facing off on. _Where is Larva?_ She thought to herself. She spotted her several meters away, facing off with the Shinma with the purple hair and dark skin. Right now both sides seemed about evenly matched, with the Western Shinma, Cait Sith if she remembered correctly, holding a slim dagger in his hands with Larva fending him off with his own hand. A rather long cut ran along his knuckles and dark red blood was running along his hand. She had to help him. She started to run to him, preparing to throw a fireball at Cait Sith. From the sides, Carlua caught her quick movements and smiled.

Carlua giggled a little, knowing that Miyu's defensives were down. This was going to be no problem. She began to chant in an alien language only known to her and her mentor in her party; a subduing spell. Lemunia also held the same triumphant look in his eyes as he raised the scarf up around his mouth and nose once again. "You're trapped, Miyu." He said as Carlua's spell grew. Miyu gasped as her feet became planted to the ground and she found herself unable to move from the waste up. The ground around her face split in straight lines in a triangle formation around her feet. Small forks of red lighting lanced up from the ground, wrapping around Miyu's legs. Fear filled her eyes as she realized that she was not going anywhere. Carlua raised her white mask to her face.

Seeing that Miyu was safely out of the way, the Chinese Shinma sneered hard at the Western Shinma that sent shivers down their spines. Tacha was the first to speak. "Mistress Western Shinma, I am Tacha Myrtwaner, Heir to the Felin Throne and pure Blueblood. May I ask what power you manipulate?" It actually did not require too much thinking; she could guess just by her name.

"I am Water Lipper, a master of the waters from where I come from. I accept your challenge." She wasted no time. Raising her arms above her head, she spun a massive water spell that sent a massive tidal wave that went spinning in Tacha's direction. Tacha countered immediately with a tidal wave of her own. Both bodies of water clashed into each other, canceling each other out.

Kia turned her attention back on the two remaining Western Shinma. That was one down and two left to go. At least Miyu was out of the way. She straightened and looked at Spartoi. "You do not look like the magic-using type, but more of a warrior. May I ask for your name and skills?"

"I am Spartoi from the second rank and third division of the Dragon Soldiers, master of the blade." Was his answer.

Kia raised her eyebrows, looking a little impressed. "I heard of the Dragon Soldiers. They are said to be the elite sword fighters of the Western Shinma. Maybe I am in for a challenge after all. I am Kia Tlykera, First-Part Heir to the Avian Throne, Stormblood and Witch in training. If blade is your specialty, than a fight of blades it shall be." She held out her hand and lighting struck down from no where into her open palm, solidifying into a sword with a hilt shaped like a dark blue dragon and a blade easily as long as she was tall. Spartoi reached to his side and the bronze dragon wrapped around her shoulder seemed to glow for a moment. The scales along its cold body bristled and a heavy sword with a hilt similar to the dragon armor appeared in his hand. "Very well." Kia said. "Let's dance." She leaped forward, sword stretched out before her. Spartoi raised his to block. The song of metal upon metal rang out.

Yoshi looked at the Western Shinma with the voluminous green hair, raising an eyebrow. For being an enemy, she was still kind of pretty… "And what might your name be, my good Lady?"

"My name is Amy, controller of fire." To Yoshi and Ryuko's surprise, her voice was a deep tenor, and they quickly realized that they were not looking at a girl at all. 

They leaped back with a yelp, their faces growing red. "Oh God, she's a guy!" 

Amy threw up his hands. "Why does everybody say that?" He exclaimed. He calmed down quickly though his eyes still shown with the rage of the insult. "I presume one of you is a fore-wielder, correct? Or it would just be a waste of my time."

Yoshi forced down his shock in a hurry, though he still had to impulse to either through himself down on the ground laughing or run away screaming. He cleared his through, trying hard to keep both down. "I am Yoshi Tlykera, Second-Part Heir to the Avian Throne and Fireblood. I'll try to go easy on you. I usually don't like fighting girls." He suppressed a snicker.

Fury boiled inside of Amy and it could be easily seen on the outside. "Do not expect me to show any mercy!" He screamed as a column of fire erupted from the earth. Yoshi jumped smoothly out of the way, opening his wings a bit and caught the breath of hot air that was heated by the fire. He floated to a near by tree branch and just perched there, looking down at Amy as the fire died down.

He _tsked_, waving a long skeletal finger at Amy. "Temper, temper." He said. He snapped a small branch of the limb he was sitting on. The end glowed red then caught on fire, and Yoshi brought the red flame to his lips, opened his mouth and put the fire inside. When he removed the stick the flame was out but he did not lower it from his lips. Instead he breathed out through his mouth forcefully and a ball of fire similar to that of a blowtorch hurled at Amy. He was barely able to move out of the way. From in the tree, Yoshi burped loudly and tossed the stick aside. "Is that enough fire power for you?"

From at the bottom of the same tree, Ryuko frowned up at Yoshi. "Show off." He said. Yoshi shot down a wide, goofy triumphant grin, showing all his white teeth. Ryuko twisted his head to peer up at his cousin, which included looking all the way up and bending his back backwards some. The tall Chinese Shinma looked a little put off. "Hey Yoto, why don't you beat up someone?"

"I don't see anyone worth fighting." Was his deeply grave answer.

"Boy, you're just a happy little ray of sun…" A pained scream cut him off mid-sentence. He looked over and saw a small blonde woman in a dark red dress and white mask and the young boy that was with Night Gia earlier farther away from the scene of the main action. Miyu was standing close to them but her body was in the middle of a pillar of cold yet dim white light flecked with red lightning. He did not know much about magic, but he did know it was a spell of entrapment. "Miyu!" He yelled, leaping to his feet. "Shit, we forgot all about those two! Damn it, where is her _Shimobe_?" He looked around and saw his fighting against another Western Shinma. Ryuko looked up at Yoto again.

"I can take care of him." Yoto said without having to be asked.

Larva's attention was ripped away from his battle when pain laced across his mind followed shortly by Miyu's scream of pain. She was trapped in an entrapment spell, which Carlua had spun about her. Her body was completely frozen. She was in too much pain even to talk. "Miyu!" He yelled, but she did not respond.

Cait Sith snickered. "What's wrong with your precious little vampire?" He sneered. "You won't be able to help her anymore!" Cait Sith clenched his hands into fists, preparing to form his cat wraiths when someone grabbed him from behind. He felt large strong fingers wrap inside the back collar of his shoulder armor and lift. Before he had time to react he found himself two feet off the ground, being held in the air. He twisted his head around to see who was holding him and astonishment replaced anger in the blink of an eye as he saw he was being held by the biggest Shinma he had ever seen in his life. The guy had to be seven feet tall! And he was holding him up by _one hand _and the muscles of his arms were not even straining. Oh, in the seven bloody hells…!

"_Shimobe_," his voice sounded like boulders tumbling down a mountain. "Your vampire needs you." Larva was usually not used to having to look up to someone, at least not that much, so he did not say anything as he ran to Miyu's aid.

Yoto watched Larva run off, ignoring the struggling Western Shinma in his grasp. He scanned the battle that was lay out before him. There were eight Western Shinma, with one on the ship and one in his hold. That left them with six. Then why did he only count five? A sudden cold feeling washed over his bones that already had marrow of ice. He had a bad feeling about this…

The pain subsided long enough for Miyu to cry out Larva's name, but it was brief. _I'm coming Miyu…_ he thought. _Just hold on for another…_ His breath caught in his throat painfully, like breathing in a mouthful of cold water as Pazusu stepped out in front of him. Larva had to dig his heels into the ground and came to a screeching halt. Out of all the people whom he knew… "Pazusu!" Larva was barely able to talk from the shock. "Even you? What for?"

There was a tone of a heavy, unwanted burden in Pazusu's voice. "It's not that I want to…"

"Oh, Gods!" Ryuko yelled as he tried to rush forward. "Look OUT!"

"…But I must kill you, Larva!" The globe of white energy-magic that was forming in his hand was thrown forth and tore through Larva's body.

From inside the entrapment spell, Miyu screamed as he collapsed.


	6. The Dark Exorcism

Chapter Six

The Dark Exorcism
    
    Pain. For a moment pain unlike any Miyu had ever experienced before raked across her mind and tore her soul, and it was not her own pain from the entrapment spell. It was not only physical pain, but a pain from a shocking betrayal and the pain of realizing that he was probably going to die. Larva was going to die, and there was probably nothing she could do about it. She could see the blood flowing from the wound in his chest as he collapsed to the snowy ground. She was in too much shock even for tears to come to her eyes. "LARVA!" she screamed, but there was no answer.

Lemunia only laughed. "You don't have time to worry about anyone else, Miyu!" He taunted. Shifting the cloak that covered his back, two huge black wings unfolded that did not seem to be visible any other time. They stretched out wide to either side of him and were flapped forward and back again, creating a wave of black feathers at Miyu that bombarded Miyu like missiles. They struck her skin, creating shallow wounds that still bled and made her flesh feel as if it were on fire. She slowly was reduced to curling up into a small ball within the entrapment spell as a feeble attempt to shield herself. 

The individual battles of Chinese verses Western Shinma halted when Miyu's painful cries could be heard. Kia's sword was locked with Spartoi's, but she risked a quick glance to the side to see what the problem was. What she saw was Miyu caught in a very powerful entrapment spell and a pathetic black heap on the ground that she immediately presumed was Larva. The snow around his body was red with blood. "Oh, Gods!" Kia cried breaking the lock with Spartoi and attempted to run to Miyu's aid. Without her _Shimobe_ to protect her and being as weak as she already was, she was as vulnerable as a newborn kitten to the Western Shinma. It was just so damn _hard_ to run through the snow with her feet.

"Hold!" Spartoi said. Kia stopped and looked over her shoulder.

"What do you want?" She snapped.

"We have yet to finish our battle!"

From up in the tree branches above their heads, Yoshi began to squawk something incomprehensible but everyone ignored him as Amy turned his attention on Spartoi. "Spartoi, we have no quarrel with them. That is not why we are here. Larva has been struck down and Lemunia and Carlua have trapped Miyu. Why don't we kill her now, together?"

Spartoi looked over the scene before them, with Miyu trapped in a now towering column of energy, occasionally crying out in pain. He frowned. "All of us… against her? It's just not fair."

For a moment Kia gave a start when she heard his words, then growled at the two Western Shinma. "Hey! Don't you dare turn your backs on us! We have a fight to finish!"

Amy rounded on her and glared at Kia. Kia felt no more threatened than if another girl was sizing her up in a high school. It had happened more than once and all the girls had usually received a severe beating slapping around after. "We never came here to fight you." Amy snapped.

"Then you are a coward!" Kia snapped right back. Yoshi continued his endless squawking. "Oh, Yoshi will you stop acting like a pregnant rooster!" She yelled at him. She turned back to the Western Shinma, but they were gone, walking towards the area where Miyu was still trapped. "Hey, wait!"

"Time is of the essence, Spartoi." Amy crooned as they walked away as if nothing had happen just a few seconds prior. "We may as well finish it off. It means that we can leave this hell hole a lot faster, as well."

Spartoi frowned again, thinking. The process always seemed to take longer than it did for most other people. "Well, I suppose you're right."

His companion smiled. "I'm always right."

A sudden sharp jolt to the back of his head made Spartoi swing around angrily to face an even angrier Kia. She had hit him in the back of the head with the flat of her long blade. "I said it was not over yet!" The Chinese Shinma growled. "How _dare_ you walk away from me!" She swung the huge broadsword around her wrist gracefully despite its size and would have split Spartoi's head open had he not unsheathed his own sword again to block. "Never turn away from a fight, much less to join another!" It was then that Spartoi realized that her fighting spirit was being fueled by anger, and that was a weakness that would not be difficult to turn against her. He twisted his sword around to force her own down and pin it down to the ground, catching her by surprise long enough for him to punch a fist into her chest, the first knuckle of his index finger driving into the hollow of her neck. He was aware of how strong he was and did not like using his strength against a girl, but he figured that she would be strong enough to take the blow. It would not hurt her, just merely knock the wind from her lungs, but he was surprised by how easily she was thrown back into a near by tree, hitting her head on the trunk. It slumped to one side and her eyes closed. She was still breathing, which told him he had not crushed her windpipe. Spartoi straightened and suddenly looked very proud of himself. He had just knocked out on the Chinese Shinma, the fabled fighters of the Shinma worlds! "That's one down." He said quite calmly to try to not look arrogant.

Yoshi stopped his mindless screeching at Amy from in the tree branches and jumped to the ground, calling Kia's name as her ran to her side quite awkwardly manner. He said her name again, bending down and shaking her shoulders. Kia groaned and moved her head slightly; the worst she could have was a weak concussion. Yoshi stood and turned to see the backs of the Western Shinma. He charged at them, weaving one of his weaker fire spells in his hands. A ball of red fire energy melted into his right hand, making it glow the same red color. "Claws of Fire!" He yelled, making a slashing motion with his glowing hand. Four crescent shaped fire balls flew from the ends of his fingers and tore at the Western Shinma, tearing at their clothes and cloaks, making black, smoldering marks where they had touched. They both turned on him angrily. "Don't think you can get away from us that easily!" He said with a creepy, wide grin on his face though fire raged in his already red eyes. "If you think I'm so tough, then I right here!" He spread his arms wide out to the sides. "Come on then, tough guys! I dare you!" He built up an even stronger fire spell in his skeletal hands but not in time before Amy launched a fireball of his own, much stronger than Yoshi expected it to be. Red and orange flames burst in front of his eyes, hot and blazing. A cry of alarm escaped his throat as he felt his clothing become burnt by the flames. There really was no reason to be afraid, though. He was a Fireblood, and the flames would not hurt him as badly as they would someone who did not control fire, he was only surprised. So these Western Shinma were better than he thought… But there was something else in this fore spell. He was beginning to feel tired…

Then the flames were suddenly gone as if they were never there and Yoshi collapsed forward from pure exhaustion. It felt as if it were his own fire magic that was being used. Amy smiled vilely at the two crumbled, unconscious Chinese Shinma laying on the ground. "That's two down." He said. "Shall we, Spartoi?"

Carlua finally broke the entrapment spell and released Miyu, whose knees buckled beneath her as she fell to the ground. She could not remember the last time she was this weak, this defenseless. She and Larva both… _Larva_. Where was he? Was he still alive? The terrible sight of him being struck down by one of the other Western Shinma continued to repeat itself in her head, of the energy blasting through his body, of him clutching his chest as he fell in the snow. She remembered seeing the blood… there was so much blood… Miyu reached for their bond through her mind, but where she could usually feel his thoughts and feelings there was only a feeling of cold numbness. Was this death? At that moment the only thing she could think and care about was getting to him. Gathering her feet under her, she tried to stand.

"Now's our chance!" Amy said.

"Yes!" Spartoi clenched his hand into a fist and held it above his head. With a stomach-churning sound that was like metal grinding upon metal, the dragon on his shoulders began to move again and took the form of a huge snake and uncoiled itself from its master's shoulders. Slithering on the ground, it seemed to grow in length as it slid over to where Amy was crouched, crawling up the feminine man's arm. Amy stroked its bronze head almost lovingly. 

"Fare thee well, Miyu."

* * *

Something was not right, but Tacha dared not turn her gaze away from her opponent. This Western Shinma was good, being as weak in elemental powers as they were. She had been doing her best to keep away from the brunt of the brutal blows of Water Lipper's waves, but water still dripped from her body and made her cloak heavy. Any other time she would have enjoyed this. She hissed at Kia's decision to not use their full force on the Western Shinma nor show their full hands yet. But now it was more serious than any of them had thought it was going to be. Though it looked as if Yoto had things under control at his side of the battlefield; Tacha could not help but laugh when she saw the surprised look on the Shinma's face that was dangling two feet off the ground. Kia and Yoshi were in a verbal fight with the two Western Shinma they had taken on and Ryuko was pacing in small circles, looking very confused. Miyu was still trapped and Larva had been injured. Tacha wished that there was something she could do to help those two, but her hands were full. The fight with Water Lipper was pointless and getting them both no where.

Water Lipper let another tidal wave fly at Tacha, but it was very slow moving. _I can use this against her_, Tacha thought as she easily moved out of the way. Tacha raised both of her hands above her head, weaving a more powerful water spell than the ones she had been using before. A glowing blue sphere formed in her hands and she moved her arms down so it was being held in front of her. "Water Blade!" She yelled and swung her arms wide to both sides. In the space of the blink of an eye, the ball of water magic was thrown at Water Lipper, flattening and growing in size. To Water Lipper, it looked like a regular blade a t first, but then the end was beginning to look very sharp. Her jaw dropped before she disappeared out of the way. The wave cut through a dozen trees as easily and cleanly as scissors would through paper and cracked all the rocks in its way before its strength tapered off. _That takes care of that, at least._

Fire exploded to the right of Tacha's vision and she turned to see Yoshi slump to the ground, just as Kia was laying by the trunk of a tree with a dent in its dark bark. The two Western Shinma were walking away from her friends as the spell that held Miyu was broken. Everything seemed to be happening so fast now. Tacha blinked her eyes and now something that resembled a huge snake was on the ground and a strong form of magic was being woven through the air. Something definitely bad was afoot.

"Yoto!" She yelled at the big Chinese Shinma who was still holding Cait Sith by the collar. "Put that down and get over here! We need to..." Everything went black after from the sledge hammer-like blow that hit her in the back.

* * *

Yoto blinked; it was the closest thing that he gave to a start. Tacha was now laying facedown on the ground after the jet of water hit her between the shoulder blades, knocking her out cold. She was not the only one out of action, now. Kia and Yoshi were also unconscious, and the Shinma they were fighting were about to confront a weak and defenseless Miyu. Ryuko was still on his feet, and so was he. There was something that they could do.

He also remembered that he was still holding onto a struggling Western Shinma with one hand, who was still kicking up a fuss, threatening him and calling him vile names. Or probably some of the vilest things a Western Shinma knew. Some of the words that left Kia's mouth in the past were worse by a long shot. Knowing that he could not just let him go Yoto spotted two thick forked branches in a nearby tree. With this guy's shoulder armor, they would work perfectly. In three fast strides Yoto approached the tree, raised Cait Sith higher than before and placed him right between the two branches, leaving Cait Sith hanging in the air by his own shoulder armor. "Stay there for a while." Yoto said in an emotionless tone, then left to join his cousin despite Cait Sith's whining yells.

"Ryuko." Yoto had to keep his deep bass of a voice as low as he could to keep anyone else from hearing. Ryuko snapped his yellow-eyed frantic stare up to his huge cousin. "We now have to take matters into our own hands. The others are currently out of action and it looks as if the Western Shinma are about to deliver an even more dangerous attack." Ryuko was all ready aware of this. He remembered almost gaping in horror at the giant bronze snake that uncurled from Spartoi's shoulders and slithered along the ground. It could not mean anything good.

"All right then. Let's go." Both Wolfins sprang forward, sprinting across the snow with amazing speed. It was the cold snows they were born and raised in and they took to it as well as an Avian would to the trees of a Felin to the waters.

Pazusu watched as Miyu slowly and weakly pulled herself to her feet, not seeming to notice nor care about the other Western Shinma watching her. It was to be over soon; Spartoi's dragon was awake and gaining power. Once Miyu was about of the way, they would take Larva back to their ship and perform the _Mashujutsu _to cleanse him of Miyu's foul blood. When Larva was back on their side, they would move through the Japanese Shinma Realm to conquer the next four Layers. By then they would be strong enough to. That would teach those fool Japanese Shinma to never underestimate nor make fools of their Clan again.

Something flashed out of the corner of his eye and he felt two very powerful presences rushing towards them. It was the two Chinese Shinma that were still on their feet, the ones that looked like wolves. One of them was beginning to form a spell that was being created from drawing from the ice and coldness around them. If they were as powerful as their spirits said they were, than these two alone would be powerful enough to take on all of the Western Shinma. And if the other three had spirits as powerful as these two… Pazusu did not want to think about what the outcome would be. Nothing was going to stand in their way. They had come too far now. Adverting his eyes away from Miyu, he recited an entrapment spell that would hopefully stop them.

The smaller of the two Chinese Shinma suddenly halted in his tracks, one foot still in mid-air. Everything was frozen in their place: his arms, his legs, and every other part of his body from the neck down. His jaw dropped open as his eyes bugged in their sockets. "What in all the Seven bloody hells is going on here?" He yelled, his muscles tensing as he tried to move them. "Hey, you bloody morons! This is your shit, isn't it? Let me the hell out of here, or I'll…" Pazusu glared at the young Shinma and mumbled another spell, stuffing a gag of nothing into the Chinese Shinma's mouth to silence him. If it was possible for his eyes to get any bigger than they already were, they did before the entrapment spell pulled him the ground. The coldness of the snow felt sweet against Ryuko's skin, hot from the fight, feeling much like the snows from home, but he was too outraged to care. 

Pazusu figured that that was only a fraction of his language that was being thrown at him. He had always hated a foul mouth. That was one taken care of. It was the other one that worried him. That spell was a remotely powerful one, not as showy as the one Carlua had used, but effective, and strong enough to easily stop someone with the strength of Spartoi in his tracks. The bigger Chinese Shinma was still on his feet, still moving, still advancing. An eerie calm had masked his already stony face. Either the spell holding him was weaker due to the fact that he was trying to hold two of them or this Shinma was very, very strong. "Carlua," He said, barely looking behind him. She was still wearing her white mask, but he could almost see the smile of content as she watched Miyu suffer. "I temporarily need your help."

"What is it, Lord Pazusu?" She asked without turning.

"Cast an entrapment spell of air to the one Chinese Shinma still moving. Even one is a threat to our mission." Carlua did turn her attention to that. He knew how much she wanted to succeed, to bring Larva back to them. Her thoughts were the same as his. Behind her mask, she said the same spell as he had used in a tongue that very little people could understand. The bonds holding the big Shinma tightened as they joined with Pazusu's but the Shinma did not even flinch. His jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth together and glared at them through a gaze of frozen steel, but other than that he was helpless. Even though it did not seem as if he would kick up as big a fuss as the other one did, Pazusu still tied a gag around his mouth in case his words turned sour as well. If he ever talked, that is.

"The Chinese Shinma have been rendered helpless, Spartoi." Pazusu said loudly to the others. "Now is your chance before the others wake up."

Miyu once again in the snow then shook her head. She rounded, if a little slowly, to face them. _It feels as if I'm blacking out, but I can not let them beat me!_ She thought defiantly. 

Spartoi smiled as the snake slid off his body completely. "Go, my dragon!" He commanded. The snake gained speed and size as it raced across the snowy ground, then arching upwards towards the sky, growing into a now huge, horned dragon. Miyu looked up when a large black shadow was thrown over her, seeming to block the weak light that filtered through the heavy, dark clouds and gapped at the dragon that was towering over her. A new though sunk into her mind; this was probably it. She was too weak to escape this on her own. All the Chinese Shinma were either under restraint or unconscious, and Larva was…

Miyu called out to Larva through her mind on pure reflex, but hardly expected an answer.

Laying in the snow, half-melted and red from his blood, Larva stirred as Miyu's desperate voice called out to him. How long had he been laying there? Why was he not dead? The wound in his chest did not hurt as much as it had, but a strong feeling of shock still hung over him which held more pain mentally than the physically. _Pazusu…why? For what reasons did you have to do this? You were the only parent I've even known…_ Doing his best to look up and to his right, he saw Miyu was still on her feet- barely, anyways- with a towering bronze dragon before her. Spartoi's dragon, which he had only seen in action a few times but enough to know of its power. Fire magic stirred in the air, and he could already sense what was coming. Miyu would be right in the way of it. Holding back the pain, Larva tried to get to his feet as the spell gained strength. He did not know exactly what he could, but he had to do something, anything to save her…

The dragon roared and opened its mouth as Amy shouted one commanding word: "Fire!" The dragon opened in gigantic mouth and breathed a plume of fire that compressed itself into one solid wave as it blazed towards Miyu. Death was right before her eyes, but all of her energy was gone. The only thing Miyu could do was close her eyes and wait for death to take her. _I can't get away quickly enough! _She had never thought of it ending this way. 

Something ran across the snowy field, something very fast and with a black figure grabbed Miyu's wrist and pulled her close to his body as the fire exploded along his back and was redirected skyward. 

Miyu was unsure of what happened next. She had remembered closing her eyes tightly, bracing herself again the massive fireball that was speeding towards her, knowing there was no way for her to get away. Then something unexpected happened. She felt someone grab her wrist and pull her out of the way and two strong arms holding her near to his body just as the fire was to hit her. The fire heated the air until she felt as if she were in an oven and all breath stopped for a moment before the temperature dropped again. She remembered that someone was still holding her when he coughed, and she slowly opened her eyes to see who it was. Slowly at first, anyway. As soon as she saw who her savior was her eyes snapped open to the size of saucers.

Larva's knees trembled and buckled the slightest bit, leaning against Miyu as he continued to embrace her tightly, her head against his shoulder. There was still no pain to be felt in their bond, but the numb feeling was slowly evolving into a feeling that one gets when they have not slept in days. He was fading, and fast. "Larva..." At first it only came out a whisper. He did not answer. Miyu said his name a little louder, but still nothing. Finally Miyu pulled back from his shoulder to look at him in the face. There were fine cuts along his hairline and another above his right eye; blood covered his face. He was also bleeding from the mouth. His eyes were closed and his breathing seemed shallow. "Larva!" She cried frantically.

His eyelids flickered a little before they opened weakly. The amount of pain that was held within their red depths was not reflected in his voice. Slowly he withdrew his arms from around Miyu's body and cupped her face gently between his hands. Her golden eyes were filled with tears that were on the verge of slipping down her checks. What scared him the most was he could not feel her mind through their bond anymore. Not wanting her to feel anymore scared that she looked and also because of the pain that clenched his body when he tried to speak, he said, if not quietly and a little hoarsely, "Miyu... you have to run!" Miyu reached up a trembling pale hand as if to touch his face, but he removed one of his own hands to gently grasp her wrist and push it back down.

Something within Miyu shattered. It took her a small second to place it; her heart. It had finally happened. Larva had protected her, as he said he always would, and now he was going to die because of it. Her deeply buried nightmare was coming to reality. She found that she had lost all strength to move, to speak, and to do something, _anything_ that would help him live.

From the place where he was hanging in the trees, Cait Sith was finally able to free himself by slicing through the branches with his sharp claws. He fell with a dull thump in the snow. How _dare_ that Chinese Shinma make a fool of him like that! He was going to pay… if Cait Sith could figure out how to stand up to someone of that size. But now there was more important things to take care of. The Chinese Shinma were out of the way. Three were unconscious on the ground and the other two were being held in place, including the tall one that hung him up on the tree. What were they doing here in the first place?

Larva was not dead… yet. It was like Pazusu to not be able to kill someone on the first blow. The man had a weak stomach, and now it was up to Cait Sith to finish the job. He only wanted to be done. There were more important matters to take care of. This could not be more perfect. Miyu and Larva were in the same place; he could kill both of them at once. Larva was holding Miyu's face in his hands and Cait Sith saw him mouth the word "run". He snarled at them. "You will never make it!" He shouted across the battlefield to them. Centering his energy, he thrust out his hand and his black cat-wraiths flew forward with enough speed to rip a person to shreds. The stir of black energy made Larva turn his head just enough to see the wraiths screaming towards him and Miyu. He had seen those things kill before; the bodies of their hapless victims were barely recognizable.

Grabbing Miyu's shoulder, he pushed her away from him. "Go!" He yelled as he wove a weak shielding spell around her body, though it would do little good against the force of the wraiths. He had now put himself between Miyu and the cat head-shaped wraiths. He had promised to protect her until the moment of his death, and now that promise was put to the test.

"Larva..." Miyu cried softly as tears flowed down her face. The magical shield around her body was pulling her away from Larva as if invisible ropes were tied around her body, but they were weak so it was not a problem for her to resist them. Burying her heels into the earth under the snow, she was able to overcome the majority of the pull to remain by her _Shimobe_, though she knew that there was little she could do for him.

Pazusu gave a start when he saw Cait Sith unleash the wave of Cat Wraiths against Larva as he stood protectively in front of Miyu. He was already surprised when he saw Larva stand and, to his horror, rush to Miyu to block the fire from Spartoi's dragon. Was the vampire's control over him strong enough to make a dying man use the last of his strength to protect her from a blow as powerful as that? The girl was truly a demon for only being a half-breed. But those wraiths would tear apart Larva's body until there was almost nothing left. That would ruin everything. "Cait Sith!" He yelled, running in front of the wraiths so that he was now between them and Larva. Grabbing the corner of his cloak he wove a strong shielding spell that destroyed the cat wraiths as they were within feet of them. "Don't be impetuous, Cait Sith!" Pazusu yelled at him. Cait Sith glared with rage and insult in his eyes.

"Miyu..." She was still behind him. Larva could feel his life slipping away like water through his fingers, and Miyu was still there. Above anything else, he did not want her to see him fall. Gathering up every last bit of energy in his body and soul, he made a Transportation Gate and pushed her through. Miyu eyes went large from shock as she fell through, calling for him in a scream that was ripped from the very center of her soul. The force of the Gate caused the ribbon that held Miyu's hair to unravel, her long brown hair falling from its ponytail and fan about her shoulders. Her scream was the most heart-breaking sound in the world and lingered for a long time afterward as the Gate closed. Miyu was now in the Earth Realm in a location that he did not even know, and safe from the Western Shinma. _Miyu_... The spell had taken all his remaining life and he fell forward. _You must survive, Miyu..._ The last thing he could remember seeing was Miyu's smile. Her real smile in which not a trace of pain or sorrow was in her eyes. It was a very rare and beautiful sight. Then everything faded to black.

The red ribbon was still in this world, and it drifted across the wind and entwined itself around Larva's wrist.

Pazusu did not look at Larva until he heard him hit the snow. "Miyu's servant Larva is now dead." He announced, trying hard to mask the pain in his voice. It was very hard for him to look upon Larva's body lying in the pool of blood-red snow.

"Why did you stop me back there?" Cait Sith asked in a cold, angered tone.

"Because we can't destroy Larva's body." Was Pazusu's emotionless answer. "After all, we need to resurrect him."

Cait Sith bit his lip to keep from loosing all his patience. It did not work very well. "But we didn't kill Miyu. The worst part of it is she got away!" He yelled. "She was right there, and I could have finished her off with no problem! We could have left here by tomorrow morning!"

"So what you are saying is," Pazusu's voice was oddly calm. That was the time to be fearful of him the most. "Larva's death is inconsequential?" He turned his stern gaze on the younger Western Shinma. "Cait Sith?" Cait Sith looked away quickly; it was so hard to meet the other man's gaze sometimes. 

"Of course not, Lord Pazusu." Around them, the other Western Shinma became to gather around, waiting for their next orders. "It's time to find Miyu and kill her." Cait Sith said to his companions. A small smile flicked across each of their faces.

The only one absent from the group was Carlua. She was slowly walking across the snowy field, mask off, towards Larva's body. She knelt next to him in the snow, gently brushing his light blue hair from his face. There was a sad express on his beautiful face. "Carlua, are you ready?" Pazusu asked softly as he came up from behind her.

"Yes, I am Lord..." Suddenly her skin itched from the inside as the spell that she had helped Pazusu weave to hold the two Chinese Shinma broke. They had forgotten all about them. They looked over to where the two were being held just as the smaller one was picking himself off the ground and the larger one working his jaw from the tight gag that was put over his mouth. They were not the only ones that were now up. The other three were also beginning to stir, picking themselves up from the snow and looking rather confused, but the look only lasted for a moment when they caught sight of Larva's body.

The girl with the bird-like features bared her teeth as she glared at the Western Shinma. "You bastards..." she growled. "Miyu... what have you done with Miyu?"

"Gone, Chinese Shinma." Cait Sith said, stepping forward as if he had not fear of them. But as soon as Yoshi and Tacha stepped forward he all but jumped back to almost hide behind Spartoi. "She is in the Earth Realm."

"You disclose that information to us when you have the upper hand in the situation?" Tacha sneered. "To the Earth Realm then." She said as she turned back to her friends and they all prepared they Transportation spells.

"Are you saying that you would rather look for the vampire than kill us?" Amy taunted.

"Oh, well then we can always do that. It should not take very long." Ryuko said, looking as if he were ready to spring forward.

"Well after your last display of skills we have seen, we should not feel very threatened now, should we? You even let your opponent go, I hear." Amy looked very smug and proud of himself that he had just said something that would damage a Chinese Shinma's pride.

For a moment it seemed to have worked. Anger flashed across Ryuko's face and he began to step forward when Kia held out her arm to stop him. "Not yet." She said. The tone in her voice was frighteningly chilly. "You have not seen the full power of a High Chinese Shinma, yet fools. Next time we meet we will not be so easy." She turned her head slightly, not taking her eyes away from the Western Shinma but speaking more to her friends: "We will return home first."

"Wait for us, Western Shinma bastards." Yoshi said with a half-smile. "You still have yet to feel the caress of our claws." Then they were gone.

"High Chinese Shinma..." Pazusu said, mainly to himself. How high? He knew that the more political power a Chinese Shinma held the more powerful their magical and fighting skills were. It was said that their royalty was invisible, but why would they send their royalty here? He bent down and picked up Larva's body. "Their words are not to be taken lightly." He said louder so all the Western Shinma could hear. They nodded and began to disappear through Transportation gates to the Earth Realm to find their escaped target. "Stay away from them. Now Carlua, let's begin the _Mashujutsu_."

"I wanna help too!" Lemunia exclaimed suddenly. Though he did not know what he could do, it gave him a good excuse to be near Carlua.

"What?" Carlua sounded more angry and insulted than surprised. "You've got to be kidding, right?" Lemunia was speechless. "We don't need anyone's help, especially not you! My help is all Larva needs!"

"Lemunia," Pazusu began without looking at the boy. "I don't need you for the surgery. You should go help find Miyu instead."

Lemunia swallowed. "Y-yes, sir." He said, sounding very humiliated and disappointed. He disappeared through a gate after the others.

When Lemunia was gone, Pazusu looked down at Carlua. "Young lady, it won't hurt to treat him with a little respect."

Her comeback was harsh. "He hasn't earned any respect. He's just a kid."

Under most circumstances, Pazusu probably would have laughed but there were more important things to attend to at the moment. "Let's go, Carlua." He said.

"Yes, sir!" Both Western Shinma disappeared from the snowy field, taking Larva with them.

The red ribbon that had come loose from Miyu's hair was the only thing left behind, wrapped around the branch of a fallen tree. It flapped slowly in the cold wind as red as the blood on the ground as the snow continued to fall.

* * *

"Damn them! Damn them! Damn them! Damn them all!" With each word Ryuko hit the boulder a little harder, building up strength through rage until the gray face of the rock shattered in a spider web and crumbled to pebbles at his feet.

"I know how you feel right now, Ryuko." Tacha said. "But taking out your rage on a boulder is not helping save Miyu. We need to get our thoughts organized and decide what to do next. So what do we do now, oh fearless leader?" She asked Kia. "Apparently the 'hold back full power' didn't work as you expected."

Kia held up he hands as if to fend off an attack. "I know, I know. But you know it's of low honor to attack someone when you don't know of the extent of their powers. Now we know what we're up against, though the price was high to learn it. Larva is dead, and Miyu is in the Earth Realm. Since there is nothing we can do for him, we have to focus on finding her."

"She's going to be in really bad shape." Yoshi said. "I wish there was something we can do for her."

"The best thing we can do is assure her that we'll be there for her during this time." Tacha said.

"True. Okay, new plan for attack." Kia said and all the Chinese Shinma gathered close to hear. "We still don't use maximum power on them guys, only because of the balance of the Realms thing going on now. But we can be a little more serious on them now. They made fools of us last time, but we can still turn the tides on them and make them look worse. I also think our cloaks were weighing us down as well. Before we leave, everyone changes into their official combat clothing. You know that wearing our fighting garb will get the message across like a masked Western Shinma. After that we'll split up. The spell that Larva pushed Miyu through was weak, so it would have covered a small area of forest..." she began to draw out the plans in the snow, explaining as she went along. When she was done, she looked up and asked "Does everyone got that?"

"I got it."

"So do I."

"It is all clear to me."

"I really don't get it." Tacha slapped Yoshi on the side of head, making a loud thump. "All right, now I get it. What do we do if they... find Miyu first?"

Kia's expression became very serious. "Then rip their bowels from their belly and spell a warning message in blood for all them to see. All right, let's go." They all went inside their dojo to change into their fighting garb.

* * *

There was something on the ground. The woman moved through the brush and pushed back the branches to see what it was. It was late, and she remembered seeing the flash of dim white light to the north of her home while she was gazing out her kitchen window. Thinking it may be someone lost in the woods, she ventured out to just make sure. Even though she and her young daughter lived in the middle of the forest, they were still greeted by a wandering stranger every now and then. She moved aside another branch to reveal a small clearing, see the small figure on the ground for the first time. "Oh, my!" She said allowed, surprised that she had found anything at all. "What is that?" She moved closer to the unconscious figure on the ground. It was a girl, looking about thirteen or so years old, with pale skin and long brown hair fanned out around her. She was wearing a white yukata with a red sash and slip, not the type of clothing one would wear in the forest. The woman moved closer. "How did she get all the way out here? I wonder if she's even alive?" Bending down, she slipped a hand under the girl's neck and lifted her head slightly. Her skin felt like ice. "Oh, God! She's so cold! She... she must be dead?"

Suddenly the girl stirred slightly. The smallest sound escaped from her lips. "Lar...va..."

The woman suddenly felt very relieved. "What? She is alive! Hold on, little girl!" She picked up the small figure in her arms and began to carry her back to her house.

"Lar...va..." she called out again. She held up her hand, as if expecting someone to take it.

"She feels like ice..." the daughter of the woman who brought Miyu to their home said as she touched her cheek. "Mommy, will she be all right?"

"The doctor can't come until morning," he mother said. "But I'm sure she'll be fine." She sighed sadly. "She keeps saying the name 'Larva' over and over again."

"Who is that?" Her daughter asked.

"I was wondering that myself."

* * *

_So dark..._

Miyu knew she was dreaming, but could not bring herself to admit it. It was so dark. No matter where she looked she could only see dead blackness. Except for... something flicked just out of reach of Miyu's vision, something glowing red. _Flick._ "I saw a red dot!" Miyu said allowed. Her voice sounded like she was no older than five. She was no older than five. She was dreaming of her past again. _Flick._ "There it is again!" The darkness began to ease, turning from pitch black to the gray of dawn though there was no sun and no horizon. The only thing that remained black was a massive tree that stood before her, the red dot glowing steadily.

_Miyu. Come, Miyu. Arise._

"I sometimes hear a voice. It calls out my name." Miyu told her mother, holding onto her hand tightly. She did not want her mother to think that she was afraid.

"It comes from a big black tree with a red eye call the Osa, the Shinma's leader." This was not right. Her mother had never told her that much when she was little. _A dream_, Miyu told herself. _This is a dream. Wake up._ She did not. She could not.

"But, what are Shinma?" Miyu asked innocently.

"Miyu!" Her mother said sternly. "Forget about it. There's no such thing." She grasped her daughter's hand a little tighter.

"But... I can see it."

Osa stood before Miyu, his Voice filling her mind. In the Japanese Shinma Clan, there is a Vampire Princess. She is the Ruler of the Japanese Shinma!

"Vampires?" There was no such thing. Her mother told her that when she was seven. She was now seven. A vampire was a being of legend. _Then what am I?_

Are you not thirsty for blood?

"Blood? No, I don't want any!" Miyu reached forward to touch the waving black twigs of the Osa, but they disappeared from under her fingers like smoke. "Hey, why can't I touch you? Who are you?"

Osa was gone, and it was dark again. But Miyu was not alone. There was someone else in this empty darkness with her, a ghostly figure wearing black robes and a white mask. _Miyu..._ a cool, comforting voice called her name. The mask was gone, and Miyu found herself looking into a pair of stunning red eyes. _Miyu..._

Miyu was speechless. She was only able to say one word. "Larva..." It was Larva, but now he was gone. She recalled what had just happened only a few hours ago. "Larva! Larva! Answer me!" She called desperately. "Where are you?" _What happened to you? It's too dark! I can't see anything! Larva? I'm reaching out for you... Why won't you hold my hand?_

* * *

The candle was the only source of light in the entire chamber and it flickered occasionally with the soft cool breeze that entered through the aged, cracked wood. Pazusu stood overlooking Larva and Carlua, who were laying in two separate beds adjacent to each other. Both had all their clothing removed and were only covered up by a white sheet for preparation of the _Mashujutsu_. Carlua looked over at her cousin with a look of fear and anticipation in her eyes. Larva would not wake until the surgery was over, and if it is a success, at that. One wrong move and it meant death for both of them. "Carlua," Pazusu tried to rid his voice of his own worry. "Are you drowsy at all?"

Carlua looked back up at Pazusu with a small grin on her face. "Yes." Was her simple answer.

"You trust me, don't you?" Pazusu asked with a gentle smile.

"Of course!"

"Very well then..." Pazusu laid a hand only Carlua's forehead and the girl's eyes slowly closed. Her breathing quickly took on the rhythmic pattern of sleep. "First, I must drain Miyu's blood." Raising a hand over his head and clenching it into a fist, Pazusu began to chant a magical spell in a language of forgotten origin. The light from the candle seemed to grow brighter. A soft glow also enveloped Carlua and Larva as they lay motionless in the beds. Something that resembled soft red smoke suddenly began to rise from Carlua's body and drift over to Larva, where it settled into his skin. That was the first part of the _Mashujutsu,_ but the worst was yet to come. Pazusu continued his chanting and beads of sweat began to appear on his own skin. The same red smoke soon began to rise from Larva's body, but then solidified into what appeared to be blood before evaporating into the air. Miyu's blood, leaving his body. The spell rose to its peak and the blood continued to rise and vanish like water thrown upon hot coals. The spell was taking more energy than Pazusu had anticipated and he was soon breathing as if he had run ten miles. "Be gone!" He yelled allowed. "Curse Miyu's blood! Be gone forever!" He fell back, balancing against a chair as the spell began to wind down. This was still not the worst of it. His part was done, at least. "The rest is up to your power, Carlua." he said, resting a hand gently on the side of her face.

* * *

The moon was only half-full tonight and it gave off a pale light that did little to light their path. The world of the humans was different in just about every way from the world of the Shinma. It looked different, smelt different, sounded different, even felt different. There was no magic here, so the strength of their spells would be hindered if it came down to using any type of magic here. "We should split up!" Cait Sith said loudly. It did not matter if any humans passing through the area heard him. They would not be around long enough to scream. "Miyu must be very weak now, so she won't be able to detect us. It will not be very hard to finish her off." Pazusu had ordered all of them off the ship as he performed the _Mashujutsu._ He did not know what the black magic would do if any others were close to it, and he did not want to risk anything happening to anyone. Now Cait Sith, Lemunia, Amy, Spartoi, and Water Lipper were in the Earth Realm, looking for Miyu. Like Lemunia had said, Night Gia was on the ship where the Chinese Shinma had put him, but he was so shaken up that he refused to leave. He kept muttering about the strings of light that Ryuko- whichever that one was- had used on him to control his body. Never had he seen that type of magic, and he did not want to risk begin caught up in it again.

"But still don't underestimate her, right?" Lemunia asked.

"Right!"

* * *

"So they're all splitting up, eh?" Ryuko said quietly, leaning against the trunk of the tree next to Yoto while Kia, Yoshi and Tacha waited above. It was now three hours since the battle with Night Gia, and his powers were strong enough to make a shield around all five of them so the Western Shinma could not detect them. Well, four of the five, actually. Yoshi always had to ability to erase his presence without the aid of magic. "What shall we do about that?"

"Follow them, of course. Make sure they don't stick their stuck-up noses in any place where they might cause more trouble." Kia said. "Yoshi and I will follow Amy and Spartoi, Tacha, you follow the one you were fighting. Ryuko, go after the fruity one with the purple hair. Yoto, I need you to go to the lower Layers and find Mioshi and Okkoto. Ask them for help."

"Then what about the boy?" Yoto asked.

"He's only a kid. I don't think that we have to worry about them too much. Ryuko, is your magic strong enough to keep up the shields?" Ryuko nodded. "All right, let's go."

* * *

"Do you smell it too, Spartoi?" Amy asked.

Spartoi answered: "The blood? Yes. Miyu must have been here. She's wounded, so she shouldn't have been able to get very far."

Amy giggled. "Well, where do you think she could be now?" From in the tree where they were watching the two Western Shinma, Yoshi was not sure if he wanted to laugh, tease or gag. Men did _not_ giggle! Whatever he wanted to do, he did not so they would not hear them. Kia slapping him upside the head had to play along with that as well. 

Spartoi turned to his friend. "Amy, let's separate. Agreed?"

"But…" Amy sounded truly desperate and disappointed. "I'll miss you." 

Spartoi did not seem to hear nor take heed to Amy's words. "Whoever finds Miyu first kills her." He said, clenching his hand into a large fist.

"You don't want to finish her off together?" Yoshi opened his mouth as if to say something, but then closed it tightly, his eyes wide. Kia knew how he felt. The two Western Shinma were leaving open many doors for teasing at the moment, and Yoshi _hated_ missed opportunities.

"That won't be necessary. Just get it done with quickly!" Amy pouted as Spartoi turned and started to walk away and disappeared.

"I'll go after that one." Kia whispered. Yoshi nodded as his sister disappeared into the forest.

Yoshi turned his attentions back to Amy. "You're such a simple guy. I like that about you." Amy said affectionately, looking at the spot where Spartoi had been only a few heartbeats ago. Then he vanished as well. Yoshi remained in his tree, eyes bugged. 

"This guy isn't just fruity," he said aloud. "He's an entire fruit cake! Why do I always get stuck with the weird ones? Oh well, better have some fun while I'm at it."

* * *

The room was dark again after the magic of the _Mashujutsu_ died down, but Pazusu sit stood rigidly by the bed that Carlua was laying in, still asleep. His part of the spell was done, though he still continued to chant the magic language; now it was all up to her powers. This was the most dangerous part of the spell, and more than half of the few great sorcerers who had tried this spell had died in the process. If Carlua did not trust in her powers, than she would be the next life claimed by the dark magic, and she would take Larva's life with her.

In the depths of her mind, all Carlua could see was darkness. Though she was scared, she knew how close she was to completing the spell and bringing Larva back to the Western Shinma, back to her. _You can some out now, Miyu. The game was over._ She thought. Inside her mind, where her conscious self was, her own voice was everywhere. Up until now, her body felt fine, just waiting inside her self until the first half of the spell was complete. Now an odd numbness engulfed her, like being out in the snow with no cold. A sickness gripped her stomach. _I feel nauseous, like I need to vomit._ The numbness increased and her mind spun. The darkness became darker, blacker than the blackest pitch and fear quickly replaced the nausea. _It's too dark._ Her voice sounded close to panic. _Why is it so dark? Is it because you aren't here? Please come back, Larva._ Pain spiderwebbed across her mind and briefly across her body. She opened her mouth to cry out in pain, but no sound emerged. _Help!_ She cried out, but no body answered. She was alone in this cold, dark place. _I can't speak, and my body won't move. _This was the most difficult part of the surgery. If her courage fled on her, or she doubted her own powers too much, then the magic of the _Mashujutsu_ would consume her soul and Larva's and they would both die. She could feel the pull of the black magic, its seductive call to her body to yield herself to it. The beckon was sickeningly sweet, and for a moment she almost felt her self give in. Maybe this was a mistake…

_No!_ Though it was evil, black beyond black, it was their only hope of bringing Larva back to them. Carlua swallowed back the tears and tried to think of victory rather than of failure. Larva would come back to them, and their vengeance against Miyu would be sweeter than the black magic being used now. She swallowed back her tears. It felt as if she had swallowed bullets of molten lead. _Mashujutsu… yes, the surgery shall save him. I trust Pazusu. My blood will bring Larva back. It will!_ The darkness and the seductive call fled, and an eerie soft light reflecting in a sea of red mist that still seemed dark at the same time filled her mind. A figure appeared in the red mist; a young man wrapped in a white sheet, his hands bound over his head by a red ribbon. The ribbon was strikingly similar to the one that Miyu wore in her hair. As she walked closer- or what she thought was walking, though it seemed that her legs did not move at all- she saw that the man tied up with Larva. He was still not completely free of the control that Miyu's blood had over him. _Larva needs me! He's still trapped by that vampire…_ Carlua came closer to him, holding out her arms. _Larva, I'll give you all my blood._ He opened his eyes a little, looking at her as if he could not place her face. _You haven't forgotten me, have you? Larva…_ She reached for him further.

A new voice entered her mind. _I know this is painful, but you must hang in there, Carlua!_ Pazusu. Pazusu was still with her. She could do this. She _had_ to do this. Carlua reached for Larva farther, and this time he raised a hand and reached back to her. With a final burst of energy, Carlua grabbed his hand and held tight.

Carlua moaned softly and tossed in her sleep. This was now the worst part of the _Mashujutsu. _Her soul was being pulled two ways, one way by her own will and the other by the black magic. Pazusu began to regret his decision of performing this spell; it was not worth her pain, but he knew if he broke it off now than both would die. He shut his eyes tightly, tying off the end of the spell when he felt someone grab his hand. Opening them, he saw that Carlua had a tight grip in his wrist, as if holding on for dear life.

"Just a little longer, Carlua." Pazusu said. "Just hang on a little longer. It's almost done."


	7. Smells Like Fire

Chapter Seven

Smells Like Fire

WHAT DO YOU ASK OF US?

Yoto could not see the full figures of the two high Shinma that stood before him, only their outlines; two huge masses hidden in the shadows of the Japanese Spirit Realm forest. "I know that this is a large favor to ask," he said. "But your _Kanshisha_ is in danger. Though my comrades are presently searching for her, there are also Western Shinma in your land searching for her as well. If they find her first, they will kill her."

WE ARE AWARE OF THIS. The Voice was a deep tenor, though it still did not compare to Yoto's bass.

"If it not too much trouble, I ask that you inform your mother and any other High Shinma of this situation. The Western Shinma will not take us seriously, so we figure if you present yourselves to them it will make the message much clearer."

Silence. A second Voice, not as deep as the first, said THAT IS A LARGE FAVOR TO ASK. WE HAVE NOT BEEN TO THE HIGHER LAYERS SINCE THE SHINMA WARS. Another pause, then a sigh. VERY WELL. WE WILL ASK OUR MOTHER THIS FAVOR YOU ASK OF US, BUT THERE IS NOT GUARANTEES THAT WE CAN KEEP IT.

* * *

Golden sunlight gleamed through the windows and the paper-rice walls with the early hours of the next morning. Rich, wonderful smells tickled the little girl's nose as she woke, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Her mother was in the kitchen, bending over a stove and stirring breakfast that simmered in a stainless steel pot with a wooden spoon. The girl who her mother found in the forest last night was still asleep in the futon that she had laid out next to their own. "Good morning, Mommy." The girl said, sitting up and stretching her arms towards the ceiling.

Her mother turned around. "Shh…" she hushed her daughter. "Our guest is still sleeping."

"Oh," the little girl whispered. "Sorry." She crawled across the rumpled blankets of the futons over to where Miyu lie. She touched her face lightly. As she moved her hand way from Miyu's face, her eyelids flickered and then snapped open. The smaller girl gasped. Her eyes were the color of amber and gleaming gold, of honey and the dawn's early light. They were all these colors yet none of these colors, an absolutely beautiful color that she did not even know where to begin to describe it. Then the girl blinked her eyes and the radiant light went down and her eyes were dark brown.

"What is it honey? What's wrong?" Her mother asked.

"N-nothing. She's awake now." Miyu blinked again, turning her head from side to side to view her surroundings. The last thing she could remember was being in the forest of the Earth Realm.

"Oh, I'm so relieved!" the mother sighed. "How do you feel, young lady?"

Squeezing her eyes shut as she reached up to rub at them with her hand, she asked in a half-mumble: "Who…me? Where am I?"

"You gave us quite a scare." The woman said, returning to her cooking. "We weren't sure if you were going to make it or not. Do you need anything? Do you want me to call a doctor?"

"No, thank you. I'll be alright; I was just very tired." Miyu closed her eyes again. "I just need to rest for a while, if that's all right." She still did feel very weak for the battle the night before.

"That's perfectly fine, dear. You should still have something hot to eat. Rest and think about what you want to do." Miyu laid back again the futon pillows again.

The little girl left Miyu's side and padded across the wooden floor to the stove that her mother stood at. She tugged on her skirt. "Mommy… her eyes were…bright gold."

"That's nice, dear." Her mother said unenthusiastically, checking the contents of another pot as it boiled under the lid. 

"Didn't you hear me? She has golden eyes!"

"It must have just been the light, dear. Go wash your hands."

The girl tugged at her mother's skirt harder, frustrated that she did not believe her. "No! I saw it when she opened her eyes!" She continued to persist. "It was beautiful! Then she blinked and it was gone."

A small chuckle escaped from her mother's lips. Her daughter had always been prone to have an active imagination and had always been a storyteller. "All right, I believe you. Go wash up for breakfast." She said, hoping to pacify her daughter. The girl huffed and planted her fists on her hips before turning and walking to the bathroom to do as her mother said.

Miyu could care less if the child had seen her eyes or not. There were more important things that were on her mind. Since she still felt exhausted she tried to go back to sleep but found herself tossing so much that it was impossible. She knew exactly what was bothering her. Instead she sat up on the futon, pushing the covers to her waist. _Larva helped me escape… _She thought sadly._ Oh Larva… where are you? What happened to you? You usually come to me, no matter where I am, but I can't feel you anymore…_It was true. Where she could usually feel Larva's thoughts and feelings through the link between their minds there was nothing but an empty void. She wrapped her arms around her body, hugging herself. If he was alive, then something was terribly wrong, but she could not put her finger on it. _Why do I feel so anxious, Larva?_ A part of her wanted to cry, but the tears would not come.

* * *

"The surgery was a success. You've done well, Carlua." Pazusu sat on the end of Carlua's bed, his hand on the side of her face. The _Mashujutsu_ had worked as he hoped it would. Miyu's blood was completely removed from Larva's body and he had accepted the break of the bond. If he was truly loyal to Miyu, than he would have refused Carlua's hand. Both were alive; Carlua's powers had overcome the black magic of the spell and the final stage of the _Mashujutsu_ caused Larva's heart to start beating again. His chest rose and fell with silent breaths though sleep still held him deeply. "Now, rest well. I just have one more thing to do." He leaned over and kissed Carlua tenderly on the forehead, then stood up and turned to the opposite bed that Larva was laying on. "I must seal his memories away from when he was under Miyu's control." Though the bond between him and the vampire was broken, there was still the risk of Larva going back to her and letting her take his blood again. So close. They were so close to getting him back for good, and Pazusu was not about to let Miyu take him back. There would be no way in heaven or hell that Carlua would be able to perform the _Mashujutsu_ again. "Then you'll once again be one of us, Larva!" Pazusu put his hand above Larva's forehead.

* * *

It was unlike any other feeling that Miyu had even felt in her life. It was not pain, but it was not painless at the same time. It was almost as indescribable as the feeling of the bond being formed between her and Larva's mind when she first Awoke. _Larva?_ "Larva?" She whispered. "What is this I'm feeling?" The cold void was gone. Now it felt as if stone was blocking their link. And Miyu felt strangely… alone in her own mind. She could not stop herself from trembling. She did not cry though. For all she knew, Larva was still alive. She did not actually _see_ him die, so there could still be a chance. But still… what could explain this feeling in her body, in her mind?

A light touch on her hand made her start, but then she realized that it was the daughter of the woman who had brought her to this house. "Your hands are cold again." She said, taking Miyu's hands into her own small ones. "Do you want me to rub them for you?"

"No, thank you." Miyu said, trying to smile a little, but it was hard to do so. "I feel fine." _Not really_ she thought to herself. _I need blood. That's probably one reason why I feel so anxious._ How long had it been since she last fed? A week? That was too long. 

The little girl smiled brightly. "Can't I do something for you? Just ask and I can do it!"

__

What should I do? Miyu asked herself. _What I need is right before me. She's so pure and active…_ The need for blood was suddenly too strong. This had not happened since the first few years after Miyu Awoke. "I want…"

"What is it? Go ahead and tell me!"

Miyu reached a hand forward. "Your…"

"You know what? I can make _great_ tea!" She was just within arm's reach as Miyu's need began to take over her mind…

"Miho!" Her mother called from the kitchen. The unexpected voice snapped Miyu out of the trance that she had let herself slip into and her shrank into herself with humiliation and shame. "Quit pestering her so! Let her rest! Please excuse her exuberance. She's just not used to having visitors around here too often."

"I wasn't bothering her, mommy!" Miho protested. 

__

Mother… a new wave of sadness flooded into Miyu along with the pain of loosing Larva. This little girl did not know what she had. "It's all right. She's not a bother to me." Miyu said.

Miho took Miyu's hand again. "Come on! Breakfast is ready!" Miyu tried to smile again as she let the little girl lead her into the kitchen.

* * *

As Miyu regained her strength, it was becoming easier and easier to find her. Amy was able to track the little vampire's strong spirit until he reached a small Japanese cottage in the middle of the forest. "She's here!" He said. It sounded more like the hiss of water thrown into the flames of a fire. "How pitiful! What a poor excuse for a Shinma she is!" Amy licked his lips. "Miyu… prepare to die!" He laughed. "I'll just waltz in through the front door!"

* * *

"Don't think you'll get away from me that easily, fem-boy." Yoshi said, pushing the branches of the trees away from his face. Amy was standing in front of a quaint little Japanese-style cottage. Miyu was in there; he could hear the conversation between her and the other occupants of the home. "Thank you, Amy, for leading me to her. Now Kia's bound to show me some respect! She'll say 'Oh Yoshi, I should have never doubted you! I knew that you would be able to find Miyu first! I should have left it all up to you in the first place!' And then Tacha will join in, saying 'She's absolutely right, Yoshi! With your skills and marvelous powers and good looks we had no doubt that you could do it all on your own!' Then Ryuko will say 'That's way you're my best friend, Yoshi! I have always looked up to you! Good job!' Then maybe even Yoto will congratulate me! He may not say much, but hey, a pat on the back it enough! I wonder what Yoto would look like if he smiled, though…?" He made a quick picture in his mind of stony, serious Yoto with Yoshi's big cheesy grin on his face. Yoshi immediately began to gag and shook his head rapidly to clear the disturbing image. "No…no a pat on the back is enough for me! Anyway, I have more important thing to worry about now!" He fingered the small round pebbles in his pocket.

* * *

The process of erasing Larva's memory took long than Pazusu expected, but he had to make sure that the only thing that Larva could recall about being under Miyu's control was that he was under Miyu's control against his will. The tallow candle the burnt on a sconce mounted on the wall was melted down half of its original length, and it was not the same candle that Pazusu had lit at the beginning of the _Mashujutsu_. The whole spell took all night. He was exhausted, but a few more moments and it would be complete. After what seemed more like an eternity, Pazusu tied off the last of the spell weaves that form the seal in Larva's mind and removed his hand. For another few moments Pazusu stood over the bed, watching Larva. The younger man might wake up with in that time, later in the day, or perhaps not for another few days. He was unsure what the recovery time for the _Mashujutsu_ was. And there was no doubt that Carlua would be weaker than...

Larva made a small noise in the back of his throat, turning his head slightly. Though he did not outwardly show it, Pazusu was surprised that he was waking up so quickly. Slowly Larva's eyes opened, leaving him staring at the ceiling of the cabin with an unreadable expression on his face. "Good morrow, Larva." Pazusu said, breaking the tense silence of the room that only he was feeling. It had been too long since he had last spoken to Larva.

Larva turned his head towards the voice. "Pa...zusu?" Larva sounded uncertain. It was no surprise; he was in surroundings that he had not seen for years upon years, and the last thing he could remember was being Miyu's servant. Pazusu decided he should talk first to avoid early questions until he could come up with plausible explanations. He was not about to tell Larva that he had been dead just a few hours ago.

"You're free of Miyu's control now." Pazusu said in a comforting tone, reaching forward to take Larva's chin in his hand. "The nightmare you've endured for so long is finally over! Carlua risked her life to save you from Miyu and return you to us!"

_Carlua_... Pazusu removed his hand as Larva looked over at his younger cousin, still asleep on the other side of the small chamber.

* * *

As the day progressed, Miyu began to feel more and more anxious to leave the home the mother and daughter had taken her into and search for Larva and the Chinese Shinma. She was also running the risk of the longer she stayed here, the more likely that a Western Shinma was to home in on her presence, and these two humans would be caught in the battle. But she also felt guilty about leaving them so suddenly. breakfast that morning had been a sort of meaty stew and bread, a little to like what her own mother used to make. It was rare for Miyu to eat any human food since she got no sustenance from it, but it tasted wonderful. After she had helped the mother clean up the breakfast dishes she was allowed access to the bath house to clean up, and then even allowed Miho to brush her hair. The little girl continually talked about how she wished she had a sister to be with her all the time, whether it be older of younger, and Miyu hoped that she was not hoping that Miyu would stay with them for a longer amount of time. Her thoughts were on Larva all that morning and where to start looking for him. She _had_ to find him, even if it meant going to the Western Shinma's ship herself.

It was now close to none o'clock and Miyu was helping the mother fold the blankets and futons when Miho asked, "By the way, what is your name?"

Miyu smiled a little out of embarrassment, realizing that she had not told them her name at all. "Oh sorry, how very rude of me. My name is..." She was cut off by a sudden chill in the air that made the hairs of her arms and the back of her neck stand on end. A Shinma was close. Miyu tightened her jaw slightly, listening, waiting. Her powers were not fully recovered, so she could not determine from what side he was coming from...

"What's wrong?" The mother asked.

A soft crunch of a leaf under a boot made Miyu snap her head over to the side door of the main room that she, Miho and her mother were sitting in. A very slender man, almost feminine with green hair and a pretty face was standing just beyond the house. His short cloak flapped in the wind caused by the fire spell he was creating. Amy. "Western Shinma!" The word barely escaped Miyu's mouth as a huge ball of fire came roaring towards the Japanese home. Miyu sprang to her feet. "No! Don't do it!"

Just when the fire was about to hit, when the heat was overwhelming and the only thing they could see was red and orange, the ball of fire suddenly split and was redirected to two different directions, around the house, saving all its occupants. For a moment, all four were completely silent. Miho and her mother looked as if they had just had heart attacks. Miyu had to remind herself that human's were not used to looking at death in the face on a normal basis. "Wh...what?" Amy stammered. He glared at Miyu. "You, little witch! Is this your magic?" Something glittered from a near-by tree, then shot forward and hit Amy in the back of the head. He reached up to grab the back of his head that the... whatever it was... had struck him. Then another flew from the tree, then another and another. Miyu looked at one of the small objects that bounced to the porch of the house and into the room she was still standing in. Walking over to it, she picked it up and looked at it. It was a pebble; a perfectly round pebble. There was probably only a few Shinma that she knew that would throw pebbles at such a powerful opponent. Angrily, Amy whirled around and shouted to the trees, "Who dares?" Another pebble flew from the trees, bouncing off of Amy's forehead.

"I dare." Came a voice from within the thick branches of the trees. Miyu smiled when she recognized the voice, and Yoshi swung down from the trees, upside down, looking more like a very large bat than when he was just on his feet. He flipped another pebble at Amy.

"You..." the Western Shinma began again, his face coloring with anger. "You dare insult the power of the great Western Shinma."

"Like I said before, I dare, doofus." Yoshi swung down from the tree and landed on his feet. Or tried to, anyways. He more ended up falling on his backside but recollected himself quickly. He was wearing different clothing other than the heavy brown cloak than he was wearing before. He wore a red Chinese-style shirt with a high neck and no sleeve, with the body of some serpentine creature coiled around him in green and yellow patterns. He wore black slacks the cut off tightly at his ankle and a black sash tied around his waist. Wearing this other than the cloak probably meant something. He stretched his leathery wing out wind then closed them sharply, causing a heavy thump of wind. He turned and smiled that big, goofy half-smile of his and waved at Miyu. "Heya, Miyu! What's going on?"

"Nothing much." Miyu responded, stepping outside. "Expect for this bastard, of course."

"Then let me take care of him, for you!" Yoshi then looked at Amy and an unnatural seriousness covered his usually non-serious face. "Amy, it is time for us to finish our battle, a fight to the bitter end. The last one standing is the victor."

Amy snorted, giving the Chinese Shinma a petty look. "And why should I? I already know of your weak power. Why should I waste my time and energy fighting a weakling like you? I would dishonor myself if I did so!" He finished with a content smirk, as if he was proud of himself for insulting one of the legendary Chinese Shinma.

Rage temporarily flashed across Yoshi's red eyes. Miyu found that oddly chilly. Since the week and a half she had known the Chinese Shinma, Yoshi had no sign of a temper, which was absolutely nothing like his twin sister. Yoshi coughed. "Dishonor...yourself? Are you saying that I'm weak? You have not yet seen the full potential of my powers. It would be more of a dishonor to turn down such a challenge."

Amy turned his back on Yoshi. "Leave us be, Flyboy. I have more important things to take care of. Now Miyu, now is the time you..."

"Oh, mudslinging now, are we?" Yoshi said, a little louder so he was talking over Amy. "Or is it that you're just afraid?"

The Western Shinma rounded on Yoshi so suddenly that Miyu was sure that he was going to loose his balance and fall. "What...did you just say?"

"I said that you are afraid. Maybe the reason why you won't fight is because you're afraid of my true power and you know that you're going to loose." A wry, sly grin pulled at the sides of Yoshi's mouth.

"I would never be afraid of a weak beast like you!"

"Oh, look who's leaving himself open for name-calling!" Yoshi said, shrugging his shoulders. he then began to talk to rapidly that Miyu could not understand half of the words coming from his mouth. "Fraidy-cat, coward, fem-boy, I swear you could be a girl! Weakling, prissy-man, one-nut, knuckle-dragger, boot-licker, brainless, gutless, spineless, dickless, mindless, toothless, heartless, brain-dead, son of a bitch LOSER!"

"Now you die, Chinese Shinma!" Amy shrieked, hurling a fireball at Yoshi. Yoshi leapt into the air as the fireball roared under him and into the tree that he was hanging from not more than two moments ago. The three exploded into thousands of smoldering toothpicks.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Yoshi cheered as he landed back on the ground. But not here. Not this close to the family. "Miyu, I'll return soon! Come on, Western Shinma! Come and get me!" With that Yoshi again jumped into the air, pushed off the trunk of another tree and took flight, his twenty-foot wingspan spread wide. With a powerful downward thrust of his leathery wings, he took off deeper into the forest. _Miyu should be safe_, he thought. _Until I get back, unless she leaves the house. What reasons what she have to leave the house? No other Western Shinma should be able to…_ The very air seemed to be scorched as another fireball rushed up at Yoshi through the trees. The Western Shinma was fast, much to Yoshi's surprise. Folding his wings closely to his body he dove into the forest, easily avoiding the tangle of branches from the cedars and oaks, reminding him of home. Even though the rush of the wind was loud in his ears he was still able to pinpoint Amy's exact location. Throwing open his wings to stop himself in mid-descent, he took a deep breath and blew a plume of fire from his mouth just off to his left. A scream followed shortly after, and Amy scrambled out from the burning brush. "So how was that for power, fem-boy?" Yoshi sneered as he landed on the ground.

Amy only sneered back as he flicked a smoking twig off of the plate that held the short cloak on his shoulders. "Heh. It was laughable. You may talk big, Chinese Shinma, but is all you do is talk?" He rose his hands above his head. "Now watch this! Fire Circle!" Again arrows of fire flew at Yoshi and encircled his body. "You can't move, can you? The final blow!" He was now weaving a more powerful spell than he had been using in the last two battles and threw a huge wave of fire at Yoshi. "Grenadine!"

If Yoshi had snorted, then he would have ruined his own fun. He did not want to see Amy's look of terror yet. He did not even so much as blink as the even large fireball came hurtling his way. Just as it was a few feet away Yoshi dropped his head back and sucked in the fire of the Western Shinma's spell. He looked back at Amy and sneered so hard it was nearly a snarl than before when he saw the dropped-jaw bug-eyes expression on his face. Yoshi laughed almost maniacally. "Do you see, Western Shinma? Do you know understand the power of the High Chinese Shinma? I am Prince Yoshi Tlykera, the Second-Part Heir to the Avian Throne. No one has stood up to the power of the Chinese Shinma Royalty and has lived to tell the tale." Holding his hands in front of him, a sphere of pulsing red energy formed between his palms. "Behold my power." His eyes slowly closed, and his voice seem to split so it sounded as if ten different voices with different tones were speaking at once. "_O great God of our fire, lend me thy power. Behold thy glittering scales and thy glorious wing. It is thy golden claws that reach down and parch the very foundations of the earth. For thou, king of the flame and master of the blackened ashes, are my true master. Touch me with thy fiery claws and allow me to channel thy power! Dragon Claw!"_ He held his arms above his head and the ground about him exploded in a fiery eruption, spiraling towards the sky and forming a giant cyclone of fire. The ground beneath then shattered and charred black, and the trees about them became incinerated by the heat, which seemed to saturate the air. The sky blazed orange. Amy tried to cower back in fright, but found himself frozen in his place, as if the heat had melted his boots to the ground. The cyclone of fire was re-absorbed into Yoshi's hands. He brought then back down and launched his spell at Amy- a huge surge of fire. Amy opened his mouth as if to scream, but had no time to as he brought his hands close to his face, the best and only thing he could do to fend off the attack. He expected to by blown backwards, to feel an incredible amount of pain, to be incinerated on the spot, but nothing happened. Heat exploded around him, but he remained in his place. He was able to open his eyes, only to see that he was standing in a small, un-scorched island where the fire had parted around him. He stared back at Yoshi, who was still standing with a mask of seriousness on his face, looking back intensely. Amy collapsed.

__

Never before… had I ever felt that type of power… all that power, yet he did not kill me… "…Did not kill me…" he began quietly, but then raised his voice, not caring that it was quaking so. "Why did you not kill me, Chinese Shinma? You said yourself that one who faces your power never lives to tell the tale."

For another moment Yoshi stood there with the cold, stony look on his face before it broke in half with a wide, goofy grin. He held up a hand and made a peace sign with his fingers. "Psyche!" He said. "I can't kill you yet, for some reason. Believe me, if it wouldn't screw up the Japanese Shinma Realm so badly if I did, I would. For what you did to my friends and myself. Not to mention I didn't even say the right spell; I switched some of the words around. We Chinese Shinma do not let shame pass by easily. But I can not let you go cry back to your companions, so I'm afraid you're going to half to stay here for a while." Yoshi took a deep breath as if he were to blow fire at Amy again, but instead he saw what seemed to be a small flicker of light in the back of Yoshi's mouth. Then it looked as if he swallowed, but reopened his mouth wide and a small, thin line of blue light shot from Yoshi's mouth towards Amy in the space of the blink of an eye. The thin stream of light dove into Amy's shoulder. It did not hurt, more of like a light pinch, but Amy felt his mind and body freeze up as if he were dipped into fast-drying plaster. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out as he crashed to the forest floor with no effort to catch himself. The light recoiled from Amy and back into Yoshi's mouth. 

Amy felt as if he were drunk and was beat up the side of the head many, many times as he tried to look at Yoshi. "Whlllaa hellla goo guu nee?" He speech as so slurred that Yoshi had a heard time understanding him.

"I said the last one standing is would be the victor. I only drained your energy to make sure you stay in one place for a while. The bats of the Chinese Shinma are the only ones who are able to do that. You'll be fine by tomorrow. Me, on the other hand, feel great, like I just woke up from a ten hour nap." He turned to leave, but then looked over his shoulder and said coldly, "Sweet dreams, soot for brains." He left the forest clearing, leaving Amy lying on the ground, absolutely helpless, staring up at the gray sky above.

* * *

__

Must they insist on fighting all my battles for me? Miyu wondered as she watched Amy chase Yoshi into the deep forest. _Honestly. And that Western Shinma was a fire-type too. I could have probably beaten him._ She shook her head. _Anyway, I have more important things to worry about now. While Yoshi distracts him I can find Larva… but first…_ she turned to the mother and daughter, still holding each other in a terrified huddle in the middle of the room. Miyu knew she could not leave them like that, especially for what they did for her. Miyu walked over to them and knelt before them, looking into their eyes, and they stared back with eyes filled with terror, not speaking. "Thank you for all you've done for me, but I must leave now." She said gently, and laid a palm on each of their foreheads. "Rest now. You will remember none of this." Their eyes slowly drifted shut and the slumped over. Before Miyu left them she unfolded the futons and did her best to move them over to them, which was hard considering the fact how much heavier the mother was than she. When mother and daughter was sleeping comfortably on the floor of their home, Miyu stepped out onto the porch, closed the paper-rice door, and left.

If Yoshi and Amy were still fighting, she did not want to be caught between them. They were wielding very powerful magic spells, the type that would attract curious Shinma from miles. It was best to go in the opposite direction. She had no idea where to start looking for Larva. Maybe she should try to find the other Chinese Shinma first so she would have some form of back up. The Western Shinma still wanted her head more than any escaped Shinma that she had stood up to in the past. That must times ten. She was doing her best to run, but kept stumbling over her own feet. She was still weak, and she still needed blood.

* * *

There was no mistake; that was Amy's voice, and he was in pain. Fire. There was a lot of fire. Miyu used fire. Therefore, Amy had found Miyu, had battled Miyu, and was defeated… not killed, but he was defeated. It was an insult too great to bare for the Western Shinma. Miyu was close; he could feel it. Very close. It did not take long for Spartoi to lock onto her current position and open a Transportation gate to block her path. 

When he stepped out of his gate, Miyu came to a screeching halt from a dead run and looked at the big man through angry, exhausted hate-filled eyes. She did not feel like dealing with any of them right now. "Out of my way, Western Shinma." She said defiantly. "Unless you tell me where Larva is, I will destroy you!"

"Just as you destroyed Amy, hell spawn?" Miyu blinked for two reasons. One of them was the word "hell spawn"; that was a new insult. "What are you talking about? I didn't fight him, one of my Chinese Shinma friends did!"

"I won't take this, Miyu! How can you saw that when the air smells like fire? I'm sorry, Amy, that I didn't reciprocate your feelings while I could! Now I'll kill Miyu to should you how I really felt!"

"I see…" Miyu said to herself. _Either this guy is really stupid or he's… just really stupid. There's no other way to put it. _"So, I take it that you two guys were really close friends? Well, now…" Jumping back, Miyu sprang into a nearby leafless tree and sat on a branch a good ten feet off the ground. She giggled. "Let's see what you've got!"

* * *

On the darkened ghost ship, Larva got up and got dressed as soon as he could trust his legs not to buckle from under him. He stood on the deck of the ship, looking out to the Japanese Shinma Realm. It was not snowing now, but the soft white powder still covered the dark ground and the shattered ruins of the Torii Gate. Though he could not recall what happened before he awoke, it seemed hardly important. He narrowed his eyes.

"I've got you now, Miyu."


	8. The Greatest Sadness

Chapter Eight

The Greatest Sadness

The air rippled like a pond's surface broken by a pebble as a Transportation gate opened and closed. Another Western Shinma was in the area; which Miyu and Spartoi were not sure of. Both seemed to forget each other for a moment as they searched for the newcomer. Something moved in the shadows; something almost as dark as the shadows themselves. Someone emerged from the forest, a tall man wearing long black robes and a sorrowful looking white mask hid his face. A small smile appeared on Miyu's face but it grew as she recognized the while mask. "Larva!" She cried as she jumped from the tree branch she was sitting in and ran to him. Tears filled her eyes but did not fall yet. He was alive! She knew that he was!

Spartoi gave a start. The _Mashujutsu_ had apparently worked; Larva was alive and the only way that he could be alive was is the dark magic had worked. It also meant that he was now free from Miyu's control. But how much free will did he have, even after the bond was broken? There was no doubt that Miyu would has going to try to take back, and Spartoi was not going to let her take his best friend away from him again.

"Larva!" Miyu said again. "Are you all right after all?" She reached out her arms towards him, wanting to embrace him… then the unexpected happened. Something sharp slashed across Miyu's hand, and she pulled it back quickly. Her eyes widened as she saw a line of blood trickling from a cut just below her pinky finger. Larva had cut her with one quick movement. He _cut_ her. Miyu drew her hand close and held it in her other hand. What had just happened could not have just happened… "Lar…va?"

Slowly Larva reached up and removed his mask from his face, the hood of his cloak falling back. "Don't talk to me, Japanese Shinma Miyu." His words startled Miyu so badly that she thought she was going to fall over. Larva did not notice. "You defeated me before and made me your slave."

__

Larva? What happened to you? Miyu could not seem to be able to speak at the moment.

Larva continued: "I've been resurrected to dispel my disgrace!"

This time Miyu stumbled back a step. "Wha… what are you talking about, Larva? What's wrong?"

When Spartoi heard Larva's words, a sinister smile crossed his face. There was going to be no way Miyu was going to be able to take Larva away from them now. Earlier in the attacks her had thought that the odds against Miyu were unfair and had been reluctant to fight her. Now he was regretting those thoughts for what she did to his best friends, for enslaving Larva and defeating Amy, but watching Larva battle Miyu personally was going to be a great sight to see. "Well, look who we have here." Spartoi said, walking closer to them. "Long time, no see, Larva, my good friend."

"It's been a long time, Spartoi." Larva said, just barely looking over his shoulder. "We can talk more after I've killed Miyu."

"That sounds good to me!" Spartoi said with a laugh.

"K-kill me?" Miyu stammered. She was now visibly trembling. "Why do you say that? You can't do that... to me!" Miyu had forgotten how fast Larva was; she was barely able to move out of the way as he slashed at her to prove that he was serious. A thin blue line of light cut across her right shoulder, biting in deeply. Blood spurted from the wound. Tears sprang to Miyu's eyes, not from the pain in her shoulder, though it did hurt, but from the shock from what Larva had done to her. "No! This isn't happening!" She clenched her teeth together before crying out. "Larva!" I don't understand! Why are you doing this?"

Larva snorted. "Go to hell, Miyu." He held up a hand, long red nails glittering in the weak sunlight like daggers, and charged Miyu.

_Unbelievable!_ Miyu thought. This was no time for any other emotions, and she was even back to push aside the shock of this... betrayal. Something had happened to him- those bastard Western Shinma had done something to him. For all the years they had spent together and known each other, he had always been kind and soft-spoken, but now it was as if he did not remember her at all. The only thing that he seemed to remember that he was her servant, or slave, as he put it. Had he really felt like that after all these years? _What's wrong with him?_ Miyu stood her ground, planting her feet against the cold damp soil and stared at him eye-to-eye for the first time since he arrived. Her golden eyes seemed to glow, and the eerie light made Larva halt in his tracks. He blinked as if confused, as if he had never seen her eyes before. "You can not harm me." Miyu said, taking a few bold steps forward. Larva actually stumbled a few steps back. "Don't you see? These golden eyes will not allow you to!"

An image flashed across Larva's mind, as brief as flickering lightning. He barely saw it, but he was able to tell that it was him and Miyu in a tight embrace, as if they had deep feelings for each other. But then it was gone, leaving a strange tingling feeling across his mind. _What is this feeling? And what are those... golden eyes?_ He did not notice how close Miyu was to him now.

Miyu rose her arms slowly, cautiously, to wrap them around his neck and slowly pull herself up to face him. She brushed his soft blue hair from his eyes. "Don't you... remember this?" She asked softly, and removed her other hand from around his neck to caress his throat, her golden eyes sparkling. Instead of fear, an odd calmness washed over him, and his eyes closed as his arms began to go around her as he leaned into her embrace...

"LARVA!" A flash of white light given off blinded all three Shinma in the forest clearing by a Transportation spell. "Don't let yourself fall under her spell again!" Miyu looked away from Larva to see who it was. _Carlua..._ That bitch! She had ruined everything!

The sudden disturbance broke the trance that Larva had fallen under. Rage filled his eyes as he saw how close he was to falling under Miyu's control again. "Carlua..." he pulled away from Miyu roughly, causing her to fall back as well, but he aggressively gripped her wounded should with one hand, his nails digging into her skin. "She is right! I won't let you fool me twice, Miyu!" And he impaled her with his bare hand. Miyu's mind went completely black as her blood gushed from the wound and a little splattered on his face. She could not talk, could not move, and could not stop herself from falling away from him. Tears streamed from her eyes. Larva withdrew his hand from her with, still holding onto her shoulder. Blood poured from the wound, splashing onto the ground and steaming in the cool air. "Fare thee well, vampire princess!" Her released her shoulder and pushed her to the ground. She hit the hard earth with a loud, sickening thud, her blood splashed everywhere, and so dark it was nearly black. She did not move. Larva looked at her with a that could freeze molten steel before turning his back on her.

"Oh?" Spartoi said. He had not expected Larva to actually kill her; he had never been that type of man, and his actions surprised him. But Spartoi was pleased, to say the least.

On the other hand, tears came to Carlua's eyes when she saw the vampire fall. "Larva..." she was only able to whisper. She started to walk towards him; it started out as a walk, anyway, but she soon found herself running towards him, arms outstretched. "Larva! Oh, Lord, you've finally come back to us!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight. "Larva!"

Larva held her back gently. "Carlua, I would like to apologize for all your troubles." He said, stroking her soft blonde hair.

"It was nothing!" She said, putting her hand on his own. Tears trickled from her blue eyes. "As long as we got you back, it was no trouble at all!"

The sun had barely reached midday when the five Chinese Shinma met up again at their home in the middle of the forest in the human world. "Did anyone find her yet?" Tacha asked, nervously fingering her skirt. She fighting garb looked like a tube dress or deep sea green with the bottom cut into leaf-shaped ribbons and two straps wrapping around her neck to keep it up. There was an armband on each arm with thick ribbons streaming behind her that glittered all the colors of the rainbow as they moved. A belt made of similar material was wrapped around her slender waist and long green ribbons were wrapped around her long, elegant legs. Soft, fine black fur grew on her legs from the knee down and took the form of a cat's hind leg, ending with delicate feet.

"No, not at all. Where ever Larva opened a gate to, he either made sure that no one was going to find her or it was all blind luck." Kia said. Her outfit was scantier than most woman would prefer to fight in. It resembled a loose-fitting jumper made of a lavender-colored cloth with a deep v-neck line that extended down to her belly button and had no sleeves, leaving the top only covering her breasts. A white sash was wrapped around her waist, tied into a large bow and long ribbons that hung down to her ankles. Kia also wore criss-crossed white cuffs on her wrists and the end of her pants that cut off mid-calve.

"Well, if we can't find them than that means that the Western Shinma have probably had about as much luck as us." Ryuko said. He was wearing simpler clothing than the girls, a wide-necked dark-gray Chinese shirt and the same black slacks that Yoshi wore. A dark yellow bandanna was wrapped around his forehead to keep his long hair from his eyes. Yoto said nothing, which usually meant that he agreed. Being older and at a more advanced level of training than the rest of them, he was allowed to wear light armor on his shoulders, upper arms, hips and calves, all light blue trimmed with black on top of pure-white clothing that outlined his heavy, muscular build. A light-blue cape, the same color as his armor, trailed out behind him with the wind. The next time the Chinese Shinma returned to their home world, they would probably be allowed to wear that armor as well... 

But this was no time to think about their future wardrobes. "Wait a moment... there's only four of us. Where's Yoshi?" Kia asked.

"Here." Came a voice from above and Yoshi swooped down from above and landed in the middle on the circle. Or almost landed. He picked himself up from the ground and dusted himself off as if nothing had happened. It usually made people wonder if he had shame or not.

"Did you find anything?" Kia inquired her brother.

"Did I ever!" Yoshi exclaimed, holding out his hands and turning in little circles. "I know where Miyu is! She's with a human family right now who apparently found her last night and took care of her! She seemed to be doing just fine, maybe a little tired, but I didn't get to talk to her very long because Amy attacked. You know female fruity-man? Anyway, I had to get him away from the home so he didn't hurt Miyu, much less the mother and daughter. I fought and defeated him, but I only drained his energy, so don't worry about that. Man, that's a taste that's going to be in my mouth for a while! What a vile flavor!"

Tacha said excitedly, "You found Miyu! Can you take us to her? Is she still there?"

Yoshi stopped spinning and held his head between his hands for a moment to make the world stop spinning. He shook his head. "I'd think she's still be there. I mean, what reasons did she have to leave. I told her I'd be right back."

"Good job, Yoshi." Kia said, slapping her brother on the back. "Come on, guys. Let's go play heroes."

The scent of fire magic was still heavy in the air around the house and drifting across the cool wind that also promised more heavy rain. The Chinese Shinma crouched in the bushed near the house that Yoshi had taken them to that Miyu was in. "We shouldn't get too close to the home." Yoto whispered. His voice still sounded like a swarm of a thousand bumblebees. "From what you told us, Yoshi, the mother and daughter may not take to us too kindly."

Yoshi did not say anything. He squatted in the thick bushes, peering at the home. His fringed fingers of his ears were pointed forward, and that meant her was listening. They all remained silent. "This isn't good." He said finally. It must have been serious, because he was being serious. "She's not here. She left."

The others gasped. "She must have gone off to look for Larva by herself!" Tacha said in a half-panic, standing up sharply. "We have to find her before she's hurt!" The wind began to blow again, a little stronger this time from the north.

"All right, we'll split up again, taking the same formation as we did before..."

"Wait!" Ryuko said, and he sounded frantic. "Yoto, do you smell that?" Yoto turned towards the wind and breathed in deeply. His eyes widened.

"Blood. And a lot of it. Death is not far behind."

"Not just any blood! I smelt it when the Western Shinma first attacked Miyu, after they had injured her. That's Miyu's blood!"

"They have her!" Kia said. "Let go, now!" They leapt from their hiding place and took off for the northern forest.

"If anything has happened to her I'll never forgive them!" Tacha shouted over the howl of wind in their ears.

""I fear that we may be too late." Yoto said next to her. 

"Where are Mioshi and Okkoto?" Kia asked from above as she and Yoshi soared overhead.

"Close." Was Yoto's answer. "The Western Shinma are going to be in for a very big surprise.

Miyu lay on the ground, practically motionless in a pool of her own blood. She did not feel the physical pain; her mental pain was much greater. Miyu did not know whether she was in acceptance or denial. But she knew she could not lay there. She had to get up. She clutched at her stomach to keep any more blood from spilling out, but she knew it was futile. She was loosing too much blood. This is what was going to kill her. She was able to get herself up on her elbows, then got her knees under her. Every bit of movement sent a new wave of pain through her body. Miyu felt tears falling from her eyes that she did not bother to hide, and blood dripping from her mouth that she stopped swallowing. But she could not appear weak. She was not weak.

Slowly, very slowly, Miyu was able to stand up. The Western Shinma had their backs to her, and through her blurring vision, Miyu could see Larva holding Carlua in his arms. That hurt more than any other pain she had ever experienced. It was her worst fear, her darkest nightmare come to life; she had lost him. 

With what remaining strength Miyu had, she called out Larva's name. All three Shinma whirled around to stare at her with cold eyes. Miyu flinched as if she had been struck. Then cold fear set in as she realized that she was surrounded. The other Western Shinma were beginning to close in around her. The world began to move in slow motion. A pleasant warmth settled over Miyu, and she could not hear anything. But she stood her ground, unmoving. If she had any strength left in her at all, she would have used her fire on them, a distraction to get away.

It was then that the eerie cry echoed in the still air, and all was silent, but only for moment. "What are we waiting for?" Cait Sith said loudly, and formed his cat wraiths in his hand. They rushed at Miyu, but she stood her ground, refusing to move. If she was going to die, than she was going to die standing on her feet.

The unexpected happened. The air stirred with magic and a stream of white wind came swirling, howling out of the forest and encircled the black energy wraiths and turned them into large icicles that thudded to the ground. There was the approaching sound of thudding footsteps running through the forest, and then the Chinese Shinma burst through the foliage. Tacha and Kia screamed when they saw Miyu, her snowy white yukata covered in dark red blood, and about as much covered the ground. She barely noticed them, even as they began to yell at the Western Shinma and tried to advance towards Miyu when they suddenly stopped, their long animal-like ears pointed forward. Then they dropped to their knees, bowing so deeply their foreheads were touching the ground. Kia, Tacha and Ryuko were trembling with visible anger and the soft glow of their battle auras surrounded them. They wanted to kill, they were ready to kill, but they did not move from their spots. All was silent again. Then a low, mournful sound drifted across the air.

The howl of a wolf.

Yoto raised his head a little bit and glared at the Western Shinma with cold yellow eyes and said just as coldly, "Mother's very angry."


	9. Among the Elders

Chapter Nine

Among the Elders

The world around her began to become blurry, and it was becoming harder to see her enemies and her friends as a grayness began to swallow them. Was this death? Coldness settled in, and Miyu realized that it was not her vision. The Occidental Shinma looked confused also while the Chinese Shinma stayed in their deep bow. The forest around them went completely silent as a thick fog settled about the area.

Everything was silent and still, and the fog continued to grow thicker. It was becoming more difficult for Miyu to see the Western Shinma around her, their figures only became dark shadows in the dense mist. The blood that flowed from Miyu's wound slowed and the air became cold.

Kia's feathered ear-tuffs perked as she heard the Western Shinma whispering silently among themselves, and then she felt a new spell being woven. A strong spell that a sorcerer would know, and she, as a witch in training, knew well enough that that type of spell would destroy Miyu's body. _Please come._ Kia prayed. _O, my high mighty God Regalia please let them come on time…_

A low growling noise rumbled through the air, and the Western Shinma turned just in time to see a large white wolf burst out from the trees behind them, jaws snapping. Spartoi and Water Lipper were just barely able to dodge the ivory fangs and the wolf landed with a heavy thump before the group, then wheeled around to snarl at them. There was a second white flash, and another white wolf joined the first, fangs bared, hackles raised and ears back. "Large" was not an appropriate for them; the two wolves were _huge_. From a quick estimate, Pazusu guessed that these wolves were six feet at the shoulder. Or at least they had the forms of wolves. They were, in fact, Japanese Shinma, and very powerful ones at that. They were also oddly familiar… but his thoughts were blurred with shock at the sight of those fangs and their size. It was not a pleasant thought to think of what something of that size could do to them.

Miyu blinked slowly at the white flash that burst from the dark growth of the forest, now looking as if they were keeping the Western Shinma at bay. The ground began to rumble slightly, in a rhythmic thumping that signified that something was approaching. Something very big and very close. The fog began to swirl and move, as if parting for the advancing creatures. Something moved in the fog; they were three very large beings, heading towards Miyu, the Chinese Shinma, and the Western Shinma. Around her, Miyu could feel the Western Shinma moving away from her, into a close group, leaving her standing alone between them and the three Japanese Shinma that were approaching them. The Chinese Shinma still have not moved from their deep kneeling position. Miyu felt another wave of pain, and exhaustion overcame her and she collapsed to her knees, straining to look up to meet the gaze of the Japanese Shinma who stood before her.

There was a strong presence that surrounded the Shinma, and it told Miyu that these were the Elders of the lower Layers of the Japanese Shinma Realm. The closest thing the only of them resembled was a huge brown boar, complete with powerful form and high shoulders, narrow eyes and a long snout. The long tusks that grew from his mouth were turned down and stuck out in from of him. Large spike-like growths grew along his back, starting just above his eyes and stopping at his lower back. He was Somuku, the Elder of the Third Layer, and since he had been just recently chosen for the position, he was younger than the other two that stood beside him.

The Elder of the Fourth Layer was huge- he had to be at least ten to fifteen feet tall. He looked like a reptile, with a narrow head set on a long neck set on a lengthy body. His long arms hung down to the ground, his broad hands and slender fingers ended in curved claws. He had a long, thick tail that lay coiled behind him. His skin was dark green splattered with dark brown and pale scars, and thin, stringy hair grew from his forehead to the tip of his tail, hanging long along his back and sides, as well as growing on the back of his arms and powerful legs. Sharp teeth poked out of his thin lips among two sets of long, cracked tusks. His eyes were pale and unfocused; he was blind. His name was Mukashi, the Elder of the Fourth Layer.

It was the Elder of the Fifth Layer that caught the attention of Miyu and the Western Shinma. The feeling of eons past surrounded her. She looked like a black wolf, ten feet tall at the shoulder with steel claws and yellow eyes. No, not yellow; they were as gold as Miyu's eyes, all-seeing and all-knowing in their mysterious, almost seductive gaze. She was Mori, the most powerful Shinma of the entire Realm under Miyu. There had been not one being in all the worlds known who has stood up to her and survived. It has been said that the ground beneath her slender paws became scorched and black. With the speed and the ability to move silently in the dark shadows, combined with her intelligence, she was a perfect portrait of beauty and danger.

One of the smaller white wolf Shinma turned his head slightly, his jaws still twitching as if he was ready to bite into something. WE HAVE FOUND THEM, MOTHER, BUT NOT SOON ENOUGH. THE SENTINAL IS DYING. He said in a male's voice.

Mori eyed the Western Shinma. It felt like she was searching their souls. She said in a Voice of an older woman full of wisdom and knowledge of the past: VERY GOOD, MIOSHI, OKKOTO, AND CHINESE SHINMA. YOU MAY RISE NOW. Her jaws barely moved as she spoke; her Voice was projected from her mind. Only Shinma of incredible power could do that. The Chinese Shinma did not hesitate to move from their spots. Miyu, Tacha and Yoto immediately went over to Miyu while Yoshi and Ryuko drew their magical swords, their eyes telling the Western Shinma that they would tear apart the first one that moved. WHICH ONE OF YOU IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS? Mori demanded. FOR WHAT REASONS DID YOU FEEL YOU HAD TO DO THIS? I DEMAND THAT THE LEADER OF THIS PARTY SPEAK!

To Yoshi and Ryuko's surprise, Cait Sith stepped forward first. "Get back in line, you purple-haired freak of nature!" Yoshi snapped harshly, thrusting his sword at him. The hilt of his sword was a heavy pattern of silver and gold blades with a large blood-red crystal mounted on top, and the long blade forked two different directions into scythe-like curves. "You don't have the balls to be the leader." Cait Sith looked as if he was taken aback, but the fire in their eyes made him fall back a step.

"That vampire took him away from us!" Carlua snapped, holding on tightly to Larva's cloak. "It is what she deserves!" Mori remained silent, narrowing her eyes as she moved her captivating gaze to Larva.

YOU… IS THIS TRUE? She asked calmly. Hearing her Voice that calm was more frightening than hearing her Voice had she showed her anger. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN. IF I HAD KNOWN WHAT A PROBLEM YOU WOULD CAUSE I WOULD HAVE HAD YOU KILLED MANY YEARS BEFORE.

WESTERN SHINMA… Somoku snorted loudly. WHAT GOOD HAS EVER COME FROM THEM? He sounded like a very arrogant young man.

IT HAS ALSO BEEN SAID THAT YOUR GOAL IS TO KILL ALL FIVE LAYERS OF THE JAPANESE SHINMA REALM. Mori said coldly. She took a bold step forward. The ground trembled under her black paw, and her claws scourged the earth black where they touched. HERE I AM. I AM MORI, THE ELDER OF THE FIFTH LAYER. WHO DARES CHALLENGE ME? Nobody moved. Only Yoshi and Ryuko shifted their swords in their hands and Mioshi and Okkoto deepened their growls.

Yoto undid the cape that was attached to his shoulder armor and ripped it into thin strips. Miyu's head rested on Tacha's lap, and Kia placed a hand on her head. Yoshi and Ryuko stood guard, holding their swords out in front of them with only a thin line of self-control keeping them from rushing forward and attacking. Miyu groaned lightly, turning her head as sweat appeared on her brow. "She's lost a lot of blood, and she has a fever." Yoto took the strips of light blue cloth and wrapped them with surprising tenderness around Miyu's wound, slowing the blood flow more. The Chinese Shinma women looked at the Elders with pleading eyes. "Is there anything you can do?"

THAT IS WHY WE ARE HERE. Mukashi approached them. His Voice was deep and slow, as if he was very tired. GIVE THE CHILD TO ME. Yoto picked up Miyu slowly, making sure that he did not cause any further pain to her and gently placed her in Mukashi's scaly arms. Miyu groaned again, her head turning from side to side as her breathing became labored.

"Wait a minute!" Carlua said, not letting go of Larva. "Where are you doing?"

WE'RE TAKING THE CHILD. Mori said. AND IF ANY OF YOU FOLLOW US… The two smaller white wolves on either side of her lunged forward, growling loudly with bared teeth. THEY WILL KILL YOU. CHINESE SHINMA, SHEALTH YOUR SWORDS; YOU WILL NOT NEED THEM NOW. YOU WILL FOLLOW US TO THE FIFTH LAYER. BOTH SIDES WILL HOLD FOR THE TIME BEING. WESTERN SHINMA, HAVE YOU ANY PRIDE AT ALL YOU WILL RETURN TO YOUR SHIP AND STAY THERE.. With that the Elders turned and disappeared into the thick mist from which they came, taking Miyu with them.

Kia and Tacha stood and everyone stayed perfectly still after the Elders left, utterly silent. "In the near future, you will rely on us to bale your asses out of a hole that you've dug so deep you can't get out. Don't count on that help any time soon." Kia said, not adverting her gaze from where the Elders stood only moments before. The Chinese Shinma began to follow the Elders into the mist, making a point not to look at the Western Shinma as they departed. Ryuko, on the other hand, did not even move two steps before he swung around to glare at Cait Sith through his hard yellow eyes, then hauled back and punched him in the face, his ring striking him right between the eyes, knocking him out cold. Cait Sith actually hit the ground and tumbled head over heels once before remaining motionless. Ryuko flexed his fingers, his knuckles cracking loudly.

"There. For now, we are even." And they left, just like that, following the Elders into the mist-cloaked forest to a waiting Transportation Gate, leaving the Western Shinma utterly speechless.

They came out the other side of the Gate near the foot of a steeply sloping hill that seemed more like a mountain when they craned their necks to look up at it. The Elders were not too far ahead of them, moving at a slower pace then maybe the Chinese Shinma preferred, with Mioshi and Okkoto following close. Miyu was lying still in Mukashi's arms, not dead, but merely sleeping, occasionally griming in pain when the Elder's foot caught a ditch in the ground. The Chinese Shinma hurried quickly after them, staying close to their sides and being careful as to not to pass them or walk ahead. That would have been a great sign of disrespect. After some time of silence, Ryuko finally asked: "Where exactly are we?"

ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE THIRD LAYER. Somoku answered gruffly. CREATING A GATE ANY CLOSER MAY HAVE HURT THE GUARDIAN TO A GREATER EXTENT. THE FOURTH AND FIFTH LAYERS LAY JUST BEYOND THOSE HILLS. Ryuko only nodded, and they were all quiet again. Not even the birds were singing- or whatever inhabited the branches of trees in the Japanese Shinma Realm. 

The small awkward party began to climb the hills into the Fourth Layer. There was a distinct change in the atmosphere as they moved deeper into the Japanese Spirit Realm; the magic in the air became heavier, like growing humidity before a raging thunderstorm; influence from the higher Shinma that dwelt here. To the surprise of the Chinese Shinma, the Elders made their way up the hillside very easily and at an even more rapid rate than the younger Chinese Shinma. It was amazing how much energy someone as ancient as the Elders truly had in them. And Mori had to be, what? Fourteen billion? The only thing the Chinese Shinma knew that she an Mukashi were old when the Earth Realm was new. They might have even known some of the vampires before the long-dead clan had been killed off. Soon the group trailed off into two parties; the Elders preceding at a pace that kept them a few hundred yards before the Chinese Shinma, leaving the younger ones puffing behind them. As the forest became denser, they had to rely on the scorched prints that Mori's paws left in the earth to make sure they were not on the wrong trail. The Elders moved so silently while the Chinese Shinma crashed through the brush behind them, disturbing the quiet serenity of the Japanese Shinma Realm. Had they not been so tired, they probably would not have been so loud. It had been almost a full day without and food or sleep, and they had been fighting intense magic battles. 

Soon- it felt more like hours- they reached the top of the hill, where they met the Elders taking a break. The Chinese Shinma looked up and saw that where the hilltop ended there was the beginning of a foot of another massive hill. The now seemingly-smaller Douglas firs, evergreens and oaks of the high level Layers gave away to massive cedar, sequoia and conifer trees that stretched hundreds of feet into the gray sky. The landscape around them was becoming more rugged; the ground often dropped off into deep canyons all around them, sometimes leaving a small island or strip of land a few feet across before dropping off into steep cliffs lined by the trunks of massive trees and boulders. Everything was green and brown, the tranquil colors of a forest, and a soft wind blew through the trees, making a gentle hushing noise. The breeze also brought with it the smell of wood, decaying leaves and fresh rain. Despite everything that was going on, Kia took a deep breath and stretched her long arms to the sky and unfolded her wings, spreading them wide. "So pretty..." She mumbled to herself. "Kinda like home." She suddenly shook her head violently from side to side, folding her wings back behind her and dropping her arms to her sides and looked over to where Mukashi stood. Tacha stood over Miyu, her hand on her forehead. "How is she?" Kia asked as she approached. She already knew the answer; red blood, so dark it was nearly black, was already beginning to soak through the strip of cloth that Yoto had tied around the wound.

"Not good." Tacha said. "I think her fever may be getting worse, if that was possible."

SHE CAN NOT HOLD ONTO LIFE MUCH LONGER. Mori said, though there was no tone of worry in her Voice. IF WE REMAIN HERE MUCH LONGER SHE WILL DIE. COME ALONG, WE DO NOT HAVE FAR TO GO.

Tacha never did quite understand how the senses worked in the lower Layers of the Japanese Shinma Realm; the foot of the next hill seemed only a few dozen feet away from where they had rested, yet it took another hour before the land began to slope again. Or at least it seemed like an hour. Time was really odd in the lower levels as well. Time also seemed to move at an abnormal pace when she was anxious about something, like now. If they did not get Miyu to the Fifth Layer soon, then she would die. If Miyu died then so did all the Western Shinma. Tacha even vowed to herself that she would send their dead bodies back to their world on their own ship and the masts would serve as gallows that the corpses would sway from. She swore it!

It looked as if another break-taking and exhausting climb was underway, but the Elders were approaching a part of the hill that rose vertically into the air, and the Chinese Shinma doubted that the Elders had the energy to climb straight up. But they continued walked towards the gray stone wall, into a grove thick with cedar and over-grown shrubs, and disappeared. For a moment the Chinese Shinma could only look at each other, then with a shrug, followed Mori's scorched trail to the stone face of the huge hill. They pushed their way past the shrubs, bending back branches while being no less quiet than they were earlier, and found that the solid wall gave way to a gaping cave that stretched far into the mountain. From where they were standing, the Chinese Shinma could see the end of the cavern as a small dot of pale green light, though much of it was blocked by the immense size of the Elders. The cave was damp and smelt strong of mildew, but was certainly large enough for all three Elders to walk side by side without crowding each other. Without saying a word, the younger Shinma followed them into the darkness. Only the sound of dripping water could be heard over the echo of their footsteps as they moved through the cave. The magic in the air grew stronger to a point where it was almost overpowering by the time they stepped out into the elusive Fifth Layer of the Japanese Shinma Realm.

Large and small islands alike rose from a glassy lake that kept the rest of the forest floor submerged with the same huge, dark, moss-covered trees growing from the dry land as well as the lake's depths. The upper canopy of the forest was so thick that the sunlight could not penetrate the thick branches, if there had been any sunlight. Gray clouds still hung low in the air though a chance of snow here would be unlikely. The waters of the lake were completely calm and smooth, looking like a like of crystal or glass rather than water. And the silence. There was not a sound that stirred the still air; not a bird, not an insect; the only thing that made any noise was the footsteps of the Chinese Shinma as they stepped out of the cavern and observed the land that lay before them. "The Realm of Silence." Yoshi said with a tinge of wonder in his voice. Even at a whisper, he sounded uncomfortably loud. "So this is why it got that name."

"We are walking on sacred ground." Yoto said, trying to lower his voice to a point where they could still make out what he was saying. "I am surprised that they let us come here at all. The ancient scrolls say this is where the vampires of lost yore used to live. For any other Shinma other than the high Elders to come here is a great privilege."

CHINESE SHINMA. DO YOU PLAN TO STAND THERE AND GAWK OR SHALL YOU AID US? Though it did not sound it, Mori's voice was beginning to edge on urgency. The Chinese Shinma immediately snapped themselves back to reality and ran after the Elders. Or tried to, anyways, trying to make as less noise as possible and not to crush anything underfoot. All the plants that covered the ground, which was usually downy green moss that made the rocks below them seem soft, was beaded in silver dew that felt cool beneath their sensitive feet. 

The Elders had encircled the pool over to a small raised platform of stone covered in the same green moss and thin creepers that were dotted with red flowers. TAKE HER FROM ME. Mukashi ordered. Yoto again gently took Miyu in his arms and lifted her from Mukashi's embrace. His forearms and wide scaly hands were splotched with blood. NOW LAY HER ON THE PLATFORM. Yoto did as the ancient Elder commanded and lay Miyu on top of the stone platform, carefully folding her arms beneath her breasts. Her already pale face was flushed and sweat matted her dark hair to her forehead, but when her head came to rest on the scaffold she relaxed and lay still. She may have been dead if one did not notice her breathing, which seemed to come easier now. Looking down at her with golden eyes gone unexpectedly gentle, Mori closed them slowly and uttered one word that the Chinese Shinma did not understand and a dome of soft blue light was raised around the platform that Miyu was now laying upon.

THERE. THAT WILL HELP KEEP HER ALIVE UNTIL WE CAN HEAL THAT WOUND OF HERS. SO DO NOT TOUCH THE DOME. IT WILL SUCK THE LIFE FROM YOUR FINGERTIPS AND DESTROY YOUR BODY BEFORE YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO SCREAM. Mori commanded sharply as Kia was reaching forward to touch the blue shield. She pulled back quickly, flexing her fingers as if to make sure they were still all there. 

"Why?" She asked, then remembered her manners towards Elders. "Elder, why may I ask that she required so much protection? I mean, I love Miyu like a younger sister and I am forever grateful that you saved her and are keeping her safe, but I doubt the Western Shinma will come here, to the Fifth Layer."

NOR HAVE I EXPECTED THEM TO COME TO THE JAPANESE SHINMA REALM AT ALL, MUCH LESS DESTORY THE WESTERN GATE, KILL OSA AND TURN OUR SENTINAL'S OWN _SHIMOBE _AGAINST HER. IN THESE TIMES, WE CANNOT TAKE CHANCES.

I COULD HAVE GUESSED AS MUCH. Somoku snorted. HER SHIMOBE WAS A WESTERN SHINMA, MORI. IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE HE TURNED ON HER. HE PROBABLY ONLY GOT CLOSE TO THE GIRL TO ALLOW SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO HAPPEN.WE DID NOT TAKE HEED WHEN WE LEARNED THAT SHE HAD BONDED TO HIM. WHILST MY BLOOD BOILED IN RAGE YOU AND MUKASHI BARELY TOOK ANY NOTICE. AND NOW OUR SENTINAL IS DYING. WE SHOULD HAVE KILLED HIM TO MOMENT WE LEARNED OF THE BLOOD BOND AND KILLED HIM AND SAVE OURSELVES A LOT OF TROUBLE.

Mukashi glared at Somoku, or at least tried to. He was glaring, but not at the Elder of the Third Layer. YOU WERE STILL YOUNG, SOMOKU, JUST AS SHE WAS, AND LIKE YOU, SHE HAD MADE MISTAKES HERSELF. WE ALL MAKE MISTAKES WHEN WE ARE YOUNG AND INNOCENT. SHE HAD ONLY JUSY AWOKEN WHEN SHE TOOK HIS BLOOD BY ACCIDENT.

I ADMIT TO MYSELF THAT I NOW REGRET NOT SOLVING THIS PROBLEM AS SOON AS IT HAD REACHED MY EARS, BUT WHAT WERE WE TO DO? Mori inquired to the other two Elders. It seemed as if she had forgotten the Chinese Shinma completely, who still stood looking over Miyu with troubled looks on their faces. RIP OUT HIS THROAT IN FRONT OF A YOUNG SHINMA WHO HAD BEEN RAISED A HUMAN, RAISED ON HUMAN EMOTIONS? WE HAVE FOUGHT IN BATTLES, TAKEN WOUNDS AND KILLED OUR ENEMIES IN WAYS THAT HUMANS HAVE NOT EVEN SEEN IN THEIR NIGHTMARES. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CRUEL TO KILL HIM IN FRONT OF HER YOUNG EYES. THOUGH SHE WAS AN ADOLENSENT IN HUMAN TERMS WHEN SHE WAS JUST THIRTEEN, HAD SHE BEEN BORN AND RAISED AS SHINMA, IN THIRTEEN YEARS SHE WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN IN HER SWADDLING CLOTHES.

"What will we do now?" Tacha asked.

THE WESTERN SHINMA WHO POSED AS HER _SHIMOBE_ WILL DIE. IF OUR LAST VAMPIRE DIES, THEN SO DO ALL OF THEM. BUT, BECAUSE OF CIRCUMSTANCES, WE CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT RISKING DAMAGING OUR WORLDS. THEY WILL NOT DIE, NOT YET, ANYWAY. BUT IF THAT ONE FEELS THAT HE SHOULD TAKE VENEGNCE ON MIYU… WHAT IS HE CALLED BY?

"Larva," Ryuko said. It sounded like he had to bite his tongue to get the word out. "His name is Larva."

Mori only snorted, a sign that she would not say his name now even that she knew IF HE HARMS HER AGAIN, HE SHALL BE THE FIRST TO GO.

"I have to admit, I never really liked to guy." Kia said. "But if you kill him, then I think it will put Miyu in an even worse position than she is already in. She loved him, Elder, probably in just about every way there is. She will not let him go easily, and will probably go to great distances to get him back. We believe that the Western Shinma have done something to him when they took him back to their ship after our first major battle."

Yoto said, "He was killed in that battle, or so we thought. That was less than a half a day ago."

YOU MEAN IF MIYU AWAKES. Mori said as if she did not want to hear excuses to why the enemy should live. The Chinese Shinma knew how she was. They remembered how she fought during the Shinma Wars when they came to the shores of the Japanese Shinma Realm. HER OWN BLOOD COULD HEAL HER WOUNDS, BUT SHE HAS LOST TOO MUCH TO HEAL THE WORST OF THEM. TO SAVE HER, WE NEED TO BLOOD OF ANOTHER VAMPIRE. 

"Another vampire?" The Chinese Shinma echoed. "But you said yourself that she was the last."

HAVE YOU HEARD OF YUI, OF THE SHI CLAN? SHE RECEIVED BLOOD WHILST SHE WAS STILL IN HER MOTHER'S WOMB AND WAS THEREFORE BORN A VAMPIRE. ACTUALLY, SINCE SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF A HUMAN MOTHER AND A SHI FATHER AND ONLY RECEIVED THE BLOOD WHEN MIYU GRANTED HER MOTHER THE GIFT OF ETERNAL HAPPINESS, SHE IS REALLY ONLY HALF A VAMPIRE. BUT SHE IS VAMPIRE ENOUGH TO SAVE MIYU. I NEED YOU FIVE TO FIND YUI AND BRING HER BACK HERE, SAFE AND UNHARMED. I AM SURE THAT THE WESTERN SHINMA KNOW OF HER AS WELL AND WILL TRY TO KILL HER. BE WARNED THAT THE SHI CLAN IS A VERY SHY RACE AND RARELY HELP PEOPLE OUTSIDE THEIR CLAN. BUT YUI WILL UNDERSTAND. NOW GO. TIME IS SHORT.

"What about Miyu?" Ryuko asked.

I WILL STAY HERE WITH HER WHILST MUKASHI AND SOMOKU RETURN TO WATCH OVER THEIR LAYERS. THE WESTERN SHINMA WILL MOVE SOON TO CONQUER AGAIN, SO BE WARY. To her silent delight, the Chinese Shinma merely nodded and left. Mori looked back over at Miyu and came to rest on the ground next to the platform where the vampire lay, feeling her old bones creek.

* * *

_Miyu ran through the forest at break-neck speed but hardly cared. She could still taste it, the hot blood in her throat even though it burnt from the cold air and anguish. She wanted to die, it hurt so much. Everything hurt- her whole body, her raw throat, the back of her eyes throbbing with stabbing pain... Most of all her soul. It felt as if her heart and soul were being ripped to shreds. So this was suffering; sure there had been times when she was in pain before, like when she fell out of that tree in front of her window when she was five and when she fell on the ice of a frozen lake the same winter, but it never hurt more than a few hours. And she never cried. But this... this was real pain. The sort that made her want to end her life right then and there. The type that made her stop caring about everything._

Mother... why?

_Why had her mother done it? Why had her mother _not _done it? The knife was in her hand, positioned, read to pierce Miyu's young heart... but it merely thudded to the ground when her mother's hand fell limply to her side. Limp with death. Death from when Miyu drank her blood. Miyu killed her own mother, and instead of being released of the pain, like she should have been, she was still living, and now was running through the forest, not wanting to live._

Then he was there, standing before her, making her halt in her tracks. Her feet were burning as badly as her throat but she never even noticed them. The pale moonlight that filtered in through the tree branches seemed to highlight the features of his beautiful face, full of worry for her. The wind that Miyu had heard roaring in her ears as she ran did not even move his light blue hair. For several long moments they only stared at each other. Miyu unconsciously worked on controlling her breathing until she was able to speak. Each word tore at her throat like a white-hot razor. "You came here to kill me, right?" she demanded at him. "Please, just get it over with..." With a choking sob Miyu ran again, this time into his arms that folded around her body as she shook from the tears she shed against his black cloak. "I don't need anything, anymore. Erase...erase everything. Make the pain go away..." He never said a word while he held her there in the nighttime forest, soothing her tousled hair and slowly rocked her back and forth.

But for the time being, that was all she needed.

* * *

Mori watched Miyu as she twisted her head from side to side under the magical dome that surrounded the stone platform. Her lips parted just slightly as if she was going to say something, but was only about to make a deep groan in the back of her throat that could not be heard by human ears. Tears trickled from the corners of her eyes and into her dark hair that lay fanned out under her. Mori did not need the skills of mind reading to know what she was dreaming about.

_SAY THAT YOU DON'T FEEL THIS PAIN ALL THE TIME, CHILD. _Mori thought as she watched the young vampire. _YOU ARE UNLIKE ANY VAMPIRE THAT I HAVE MET IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. YOU ARE LIKE ME. YOU ARE LIKE KINAMI…_

SOMETHING TROUBLES YOU, MOTHER? Mori turned her head slowly to meet the a pair of the golden eyes of her sons, Mioshi and Okkoto. Their gazes also fell on Miyu, whose nightmares still continued to torture her mind. YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT THIS GIRL?

I WAS MERELY THINKING OF HOW SHE REMINDED ME OF MYSELF, AND EVEN MORE OF KINAMI. HER STRONG WILL AND BRAVE SPIRIT, AND HER WILL TO PUT HERSELF IN SITUATIONS WHERE SHE DID NOT CARE IF SHE DIED OR NOT, JUST AS LONG AND THOSE SHE LOVED SURVIVED. TO GO EVEN TO AN EXTENT AS TO DISOBEY MY ORDERS…

Mioshi and Okkoto immediately lowered their heads when they heard their Mother speak that name, their ears falling back limply against their hackles and their tails tucked beneath their legs. KINAMI… YES, THAT'S HOW SHE WAS, WASN'T IT?

I CAN ALMOST SEE HER INSIDE THIS GIRL.

MOTHER… Okkoto began. SHE WILL NEVER TAKE KINAMI'S PLACE.

I AM NOT SAYING THAT SHE WILL TAKE KINAMI'S PLACE. NO ONE CAN EVER DO THAT, AND YOU TWO KNOW IT. Mori said, smiling at her children. Or smiling to a wolf's capabilities. SHE JUST HAS HER SPIRIT, THAT'S ALL. THERE IS SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL ABOUT THIS GIRL, AND I AM NOT LOOSING HER TO ANYBODY. NOT ANYBODY


	10. Old Friends and New Threats

Chapter Ten

Old Friends and New Threats

"It was not supposed to be this way." Pazusu said. "Mori is supposed to be dead."

"What do you mean, Lord Pazusu?" Carlua asked as she nursed a still-unconscious Cait Sith. The Chinese Shinma had hit him hard enough to knock him out cold for the last three hours, but now he was showing signs of waking up. There seemed to be no other damage other than the small dent in his forehead, caused by what seemed to be a ring on the Chinese Shinma's finger. With as much force as he had behind that blow, it was amazing that he did not split Cait Sith's skull open.

"Back during the Shinma Wars, I remember seeing the body of a giant black wolf hanging from her paws as a trophy. Lord Gardine still has her skin in the entry parlor of his estate."

"Well, this is said to be the Realm of Ghosts." Water Lipper said, handing Carlua a damp cloth to be laid on Cait Sith's forehead. "My teachers have always taught me that the impossible seems possible here."

"Now that the Elders and involved with this, I doubt that we have very little chance of succeeding. And that mark on Cait Sith's forehead; only one type of High Shinma is allowed to where a ring of that size. We are dealing with their royalty, probably the heirs. They seem far too young to be the actual rulers. Still, the power that we have seen from them in nothing more than a small fraction." He sighed, putting his hand on his forehead. "We should not have come. Mori is alive and hates Western Shinma. We should just leave now and not look back."

Carlua left Cait Sith where he was lying- he would live, so she did not have to worry about him anymore- and walked over to Pazusu, kneeling by the chair that he sat in the place her hands over his, clenched in his lap. "Lord Pazusu, Larva has returned to us and I'm sure Miyu is dead by now. No one can survive wounds like that. We got what we came here for, and that's all that matters, isn't it?"

Pazusu looked up at Carlua just barely, then smiled weakly. "I suppose you are right…"

"No!" Water Lipper said, standing up so fast that the bowl of water sitting on the stand next to her clattered to the ground. Water splashed about her feet, dampening the ends of her heavy robes. "I don't mean to be disrespectful, Lord Pazusu, but some of us here still want to test our strength against these children. You yourself said that they are too young to possess the full powers of their parents, so I'm sure they are not as strong as we believe them to be. I myself still have a score to finish with the cat-girl and I'm sure that Lemunia wants payback for the Chinese Shinma that made him and Night Gia into puppets. I know Spartoi wants to avenge Amy. If we back out now then the Japanese Shinma will see us as weak and may someday even travel to our lands to conquer us!" Pazusu and Carlua only blinked slowly at her; this was probably the most she had said at one time since they arrived here. She dropped her head to advert her deep green eyes away from theirs. "Forgive me, my mouth has run away with me."

"No, it's alright. I understand your meaning, Water Lipper, I feel that you are right. You came here solely for the purpose of testing your strength and it would be unfair for us to leave without you doing so. The only thing I have to say to that is to be careful. Lemunia and Night Gia barely escaped with their lives and Amy is probably dead by now."

"I will be ware, Lord Pazusu." Water Lipper said, making a very formal bow. She then took her leave to prepare for battle.

After a moment of silence, Carlua asked Pazusu nervously, "Do you think there is a chance of Miyu living through those wounds?"

Pazusu only shook his head slowly. "It's hard to say. A vampire's body works in very different ways other than our own. It is said that their blood can heal the worse of wounds. And with the Elders helping her... it is hard to tell what is to happen next. I would not be surprised if the Chinese Shinma even try to attack us first. And if they do, I fear they will go after Larva first. They seemed to be very protective over the vampire girl."

It was Carlua's turn to stand up sharply. "If they do, then… I should warn them. Where are they?"

"On the deck, I think."

"If you will excuse me then, Lord Pazusu…" Carlua said as she hustled out of the room without another word. Pazusu smiled after her then rested his head in his hands to think.

Carlua found Larva with Spartoi on the deck as Lord Pazusu had said he would be. She could not help but to smile at the sight of the older cousin. In truth, she had not believed that they would succeed, much less come this far in the mission. Not only had they got Larva back from Miyu, the little demon was also now dead. Or so they thought, but Elders rarely got involved with the battles that the rest of their realm may be fighting. But, then again, why would they come up so far from the Lower Layers, to the Earth Realm, to save Miyu? She had always been taught that the vampires were the segregated ones from the entire realm. Carlua shook her head back and forth, partly from wanting to clear her thoughts of the horrid girl and second to clear away the feeling of dizziness that suddenly washed over her body. It was not the first time this had happened, but the waves were getting worse. Carlua pushed the feeling down. She did not want to appear weak in front of Larva.

"How are you feeling, Larva?" Carlua asked nervously, for some odd reason. If he felt anything like she did, he would be feeling exhausted from the black magic of the _Mashujutsu_.

Larva turned from Spartoi and smiled at her. Carlua felt her heart skip a beat. "Just fine, thanks to you and Pazusu." He answered. "How's Cait Sith?"

"He's doing alright." Carlua's response was not even half-hearted. "He should be waking up soon. He should also be grateful that his face was not crushed in. Lord Pazusu says that the Chinese Shinma that are here are some of the most powerful in their Clan, so he wants us to be careful. They will probably be wanting their vengeance as well."

Spartoi snorted. "Lord Pazusu constantly warns us of those savage barbarians but apparently they don't have enough backbone to kill us. And talk about primitive! Did you see what the bird-girl was wearing? Do they have no modesty?"

A small chuckle escaped from Larva. No matter how much he would deny it, the big man could never keep his eyes from wandering to a pretty girl. "It's better not to underestimate your opposite, Spartoi. You should know that being a warrior and all. Just like how I did not expect the vampire girl to keep me prisoner for all these years."

"Well, it was your own fault." Came a cold and harsh voice from behind. The three Western Shinma turned to see Lemunia approach them, who had gone unnoticed until now. The boy glared at Larva angrily. "She was not so difficult to defeat. I can't see why you couldn't do all those years ago what you did today. I would have thought that my brother would have held you to it. And then you repay him by sealing him in this hell-hole to protect _her_..."

Carlua glared at Lemunia hard enough to make him physically flinch. "Lemunia! How dare you..."

Larva silenced he by putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright, Carlua. Lemunia, I would like to apologize. I did not know what I was doing nor thinking then." Lemunia only grimaced and looked away. For one reason he was at a complete loss of words and secondly because out of jealously when he saw the color rise in Carlua's cheeks. Most everyone knew of the boy's feelings for her, but every time he would try to make it known to her she would only reject him coldly.

"Who would have thought that her hold would have been strong enough to turn two best friends against each other?" Spartoi commented. There was a sharp sting in his voice when he referred to "her".

"That brings up my next question." Lemunia said, making himself look at the others. "Why hasn't my brother come back yet? Miyu's dead, so the seal on her realm should have been broken." There was an uneasy silence on the deck of the Ghost Ship; everybody there knew that they were looking at the risk of Miyu still being alive.

It was Spartoi who broke the silence with an unrelated subject. "Well, I may as well prepare for battle. I have a feeling that the bird girl will want to fight me again. I would not mind fighting for real this time."

"Fight her to fight her or to see what she's wearing?" Larva called teasingly after him. Spartoi's laughter was the answer.

Larva smiled after his friend as he walked below deck. Though he knew that Spartoi had always been good at hiding his emotions behind a mask of good humor, he was still mourning for Amy. But his own smile fled when he saw the disturbed and concerned look on Carlua's face. "What's wrong, Carlua?" He asked gently.

"The Chinese Shinma and Elder will be after us now for killing the vampire girl. And there is a chance of Miyu still being alive. I'm afraid that you'll be the first one they go after..." She turned around sharply to face him, her sky-blue eyes filled with tears. "Larva, please promise me that you'll be careful! Lord Pazusu and I... we can't lose you again!"

Larva smiled again, hoping that it would cause some comfort. "I will, Carlua. Trust me, it will never happen again. Now if you excuse me I must speak to Lord Pazusu over such matter." Carlua watched him go with a warm and loving gaze. Lemunia shot a look after him that would have killed anything mortal in its tracks.

"Bored, Ryuko?"

"What ever made you think that?" Ryuko asked back, making the little stick-man stand on his head.

"You're making sticks dance again, that's why." Tacha said from just a few feet above his head. 

Ryuko sighed and let the stick-man fall apart. He did admit, he was bored. The only thing he could do to pass the time was used his Puppeteering spells to make small figures out of sticks and a rock for a head and make them dance. If he was in a better mood and if Yoshi had persuaded him to do it, he would have made another to make for better means of entertainment... but this was neither the time nor the place. So he just made the little stick-man somersault and stand on his head and do other small acrobatics using the same spell he had used against Night Gia. "Can someone please explain what we're waiting around for? Mori told us to go look for Yui so she can wake up Miyu so we can kick the Western Shinma's butts!"

"For one thing, we don't even know where to start looking for Yui. The Shi have their own parallel dimension to the Japanese Shinma Realm and if we go there they will scatter. Like Mori said, they are very shy and don't like being disturbed, much less being pulled into other battles." Kia said. "Besides, Miyu and Yui are somehow bonded by blood, so Yui is bound to know that something has happened. If not, we have to find some way to get her out of her Realm and into this one."

"Perhaps we may be of some service to that?" Came a cool, melodic voice from the shadows. The Chinese Shinma looked to the dark grove of the trees at the same time to see three figures coming closer to them. One tall male figure, probably a few good inches taller than Kia, Yoshi or Tacha, a smaller female figure that was a few inches shorter and Ryuko and a smaller child figure that was even smaller than the woman. The Chinese Shinma recognized them almost immediately. The tall one was Aoi, a samurai who was loyal to the woman, Ranka. Aoi was not any Samurai, the Chinese Shinma reminded themselves; he was the Blademaster of the Japanese Shinma, the Shogun to all other samurai in the Realm who were loyal to their Elders and the protection of their clan. His shoulder-length white hair was pulled behind him in a small tail, keeping it out of his strikingly beautiful face. His cold gray eyes were highlighted by red tattoos both above and below to symbolize his position. A long curved katana hung at his hip and he wore heavy cloth-armor rather than the full medal armor than they had last seen him in, back during the Shinma wars. Wow, had it been that long? 

Ranka was the Sentinel of the Second Layer and next in line to be the Elder, if the current Elders ever got through their trail process. Ranka's mother had been the Elder of the Second Layer, but like so many others, she lost her life during the Shinma Wars, right before the end. Why the Elders had not named her Elder of the Second Layer was unknown. Maybe Ranka was still considered to be too young to hold the position of Elder. Maybe the Lower Layer Elders did not feel it was urgent to name her as Elder yet. But in any case, it not doubted that Ranka would follow her mother's footsteps. Looking about as old as the Chinese Shinma, probably no older than twenty, Ranka had shiny black hair that was kept just below her shoulders and had bright blue eyes that stood out starkly against her pale skin. She wore a traditional light blue kimono and with a long royal purple obi that was decorated with mild-colored butterflies. She was not much taller than Miyu but by far much older.

The smallest Shinma was Ichiro, a younger Shinma who called himself a Werewolf. He looked no older than Miyu's age, maybe a little younger, but was born shortly after the Shinma Wars, making him as old as the majority of the Western Shinma. He had a wild mat of dark brown hair that covered half of his face, including one of his blood-red eyes. He was wearing a long brown Japanese-style coat tied around the waist but only one sleeve on his arm and black leggings that looped at the bottom and fit around his feet. The other arm was left bare and his chest had been wrapped in tight gauze. Why, the Chinese Shinma did not know. He had no distinguishing features of a wolf like what Yoto or Ryuko possessed, but his own ears were long and pointed and extended nearly to the crown of his head. It was said that he had the power to turn into a wolf, but they had never seen him in action.

"Long time no see." Yoshi said from the branch he was hanging from. "What brings you guys here? We haven't seen you for a couple hundred years."

"To avenge our Sentinel and to make sure that she is returned to her original strength. We have also come here to help you find Yui." Ranka answered.

"But you're not alone, either." Kia said, looking beyond Ranka and into the forest. The other Chinese Shinma craned their necks to see too, and then wide smiles split their faces despite their earlier moods when three new shapes stepped from the shadows. They were faces that were even more familiar than those of the Japanese Shinma that stood before them; faces from their past, from their childhood. "Nice dramatic entrance, guys."

"Well, I don't see why you guys get to have all the fun." The fiery haired fox girl smiled. "It took a lot of energy before Daddy let us go." Kitsune was the daughter of a lord that was close friends with Ryuko's father. She was only a few thousand years younger than the other Chinese Shinma by not much bigger than Miyu, which was small on their terms, and had the features of a red fox, including a large busy tail that was wrapped around her legs. She was dressed in a Chinese-like outfit, with a high-necked collar, black trimmed with red, and baggy pants that were as red as her hair and fur. She was also wearing a gray Japanese-style jacket over it. He yellow eyes sparkled with mischief. Ryuko swallowed the forming lump in his throat. He had forgotten how beautiful she was.

There was another girl with them, obviously much younger than the others considering she looked about seven or eight in human terms with the feline features of a bangle tiger. Her brown hair was pulled up into two small buns on either sides of her heads, just below her small ears, and were encircled with small blue beads. She wore an outfit much like the one Kitsune was wearing, but was a light-purple color. A wide grin broke out on her face as she ran forward and tackled Tacha, who looked more horrified than surprised. "Mei-Ling!" She said, trying to pry the girl away from her waist. "What are you doing here?"

"Daddy said I could come with Verde!" She said, her green eyes sparkling. "I also wanted to see you to see you again, big sister!"

Tacha looked at the last of the new Chinese Shinma. "Verde! Why didn't you say something? You knew there was a pending battle!" Verde was her dearest friend since childhood, but right now the feelings towards him was indifferent at the moment. Not much taller than Tacha herself, his shoulders and arms looked like the trunks of trees, thick and muscular. His short dark blue hair was held out of his black eyes by a thin headband. He was a Feline as well, with the same black panther characteristics as Tacha. He was wearing a dark green coat with three strips running diagonally across his chest, each a different color; light blue, black, and purple. The top of the sleeves were made from a transparent green material, revealing the tight cords of strong, rock-hard muscles. His breeches were plain and brown, and he wore no shoes, just like the other Chinese Shinma. Three gold hoop earrings were pierced through his left ear, glistening in the morning sunlight. 

He only shrugged. "She was so persistent. He only agreed to it when I said I would accompany her."

"How did you come about coming here in the first place?" Yoto inquired.

"Well, unlike the rest of you," Kitsune harrumphed "I have very little Battle Experience. You guys had that war you fought in when I was a thousand years too young! As soon as I heard about the Western Shinma invasion I figured it would be an open opportunity since wars are few and far between anymore. Mei-Ling overheard me, and she wanted to go with so she could visit Tacha."

"But she's too young to fight!" Tacha protested, finally able to get the last of Mei-ling's fingers from off her belt. "You know you have to be twenty-one-thousand to battle."

"Damn Battle Experience credits." Yoshi growled from his still-upside down position. "Well, it sounds responsible. I mean, I don't exactly think that there will be a war anytime soon."

"Don't talk too soon, Chinese Shinma." Aoi said gravely. All other conversation halted immediately, and the Chinese Shinma looked at Aoi with blood-drained faces.

"Anyway," Kia said, taking a hold of Ranka's glance away from the side conversations. She sometimes wished that the others would take things more seriously. But now that they had three more persons on their side, the chances of the Western Shinma doing anymore damage was quavering. Ranka looked back at Kia, those icy, serene eyes never wavering. "Obviously there are enough of us here to cover a large amount of area at once. You know this land more than we do; what would you suggest doing?"

"We must approach the situations from all sides, like you said." Ranka said. "More than likely, Yui will find us before we find her. She and Miyu are...linked in a way, through their blood, but more like sisters rather than by other bonds that Shinma take. It will not be long before she knows what has happened here and will want to come to Miyu." Kia licked her lips and worried her bottom lip as the other woman talked. She was so patient, such a slow, quiet talker that it made Kia antsy. Time was running out, but Ranka took time to think everything out. The Chinese Shinma damned her impatient nature under stressful situations. "We cannot all go in one large group to find Yui, or we will probably frighten her off. The Shi are very shy." Kia nodded urgently. Several of the other Chinese Shinma had gathered around behind her, all looking down at Ranka but listening with the same eager expressions on their faces. Ranka seemed to sense this unease. "And the Western Shinma will not stay fixated on their ship for long. We will need to split up into groups to cover as much ground at once. Ichirou," she turned to the wolf-boy, who was lounging against the trunk of a tree on a branch twenty feet above the ground. "I want you to find Yui. If you listen carefully, you will here Miyu's voice. It will lead you to Yui."

"I don't see why the Shi Clan should become involved!" Ichirou retorted from where he was lounging. "They aren't like us! Why should we involve them with Shinma affairs?"

"Because we have no other choice. She is the only one who can save Miyu." Aoi said, without expression. The werewolf snorted but no longer protested.

Ranka continued as if neither of them had said anything. "Ichirou is no doubt the fastest of all of us here. If he follows Miyu's voice, it will not take him long to find her." Yoshi abruptly cocked his head as if listening for something, but then only shook it in confusion. "You seven cannot hear it, of course. Only those tied to this realm can, so you must trust his ears. I, however, must return to the Second Layer and guard it from whoever will be traveling to there next. The Western Shinma are as stubborn as they come, and will not give up easily. Aoi will assist me. Now, what will you do in correspondence to those?"

Kia cleared her throat before speaking. "Well, the Wolfins are fast as well, so two can go with Ichirou. Kitsune and Yoto, I think it may be good for you two. Yoto has not had a chance to fight yet, and you two will be the most likely to run into trouble, especially if the Western Shinma know about Yui. There is a river that runs straight through the land to the lower levels, right?" Kia asked Ranka. She nodded slowly. "Then that could mean that the water sprite may try to get to the lower levels that way. Tacha and Verde, that's your location. I'll go with you and Aoi to guard the Second Layer. And Yoshi and Ryuko, I need to two to go to their ship and find out any information you can on anything they might be planning. Does that sound like a good plan?" The Chinese Shinma nodded in agreement simultaneously, but waited for Ranka's approval before it was official.

Ichirou was the only one to protest. "But I wanna fight too, Ranka! it's not fair! They got to battle in the Shinma Wars..."

"Hush, Ichirou." Ranka said quietly. "And you may get what you wish for..."

Suddenly a hushed silence fell over the area and an unfriendly presence drifted on the breeze. The Chinese Shinma shifted in their spots, trying to look for the intruder but moving their eyes alone. Someone had been listening to their conversations. The only thing any of them knew was it was a Western Shinma. Ranka remained absolutely motionless, then pulled one pale hand from her kimono sleeve. A small finger piece was on the index finger of her left hand, the type used when she played the Kojo harp. It was also one of her favorite weapons. She made the slightest motion of her hand towards Aoi.

Abruptly Aoi took to the mask from his face and his sword from his sheath in a motion so quick that it made the Chinese Shinma blink to comprehend what had just happened. At the same time Ranka drew her arm across her shoulders, her fingers touching her right temple, then swung her arm back out the opposite direction. A thin blue line flew from that path her hand had taken, speeding towards a thicket of trees just as Aoi took one swipe at the thick undergrowth with his sword. Then he stepped back, his curved sword returning to with sheath with a sharp clack. At the sound there was a spray of blood, and three bodies fell from the shrubbery in pieces. The whole thing had taken less than five seconds. The Chinese Shinma had known the Japanese Shinma were extremely fast, but seeing them in action was also a sight that made the head spin for moments afterwards. 

The last Western Shinma left standing staggered back, looking at disbelief at its fallen companions. It was dressed in what appeared to be a black body suit that looked a little to big for it, with long sleeves and a hood pulled up around its head. To the other Shinma's surprise, it had no face; only two pale eyes set in a white head. No nose, no mouth, no other distinct features. "No...no..." it rasped, looking at the pool of black blood at its feet. Then it turned and fled into the forest. "It won't escape." Ranka said calmly as the Chinese Shinma opened their mouths. "Ichirou..."

Ichirou's lips curled in a cold smile. He jumped from his tree branch, hands clenched into tight fists. "Let's do it!" He yelled as a powerful energy spell was woven around him. With a wild cry, he yelled "_Kibashiri_!" and threw his hands out. There was a powerful gush of wind, strong enough to break the huge cedar trees before him in half as if they were toothpicks. The retreating Shinma turned around and was only able to admit a strangled sound as he was torn to shreds as easily as the others were. A charred tunnel in the forest marked the full power of Ichirou's blast.

Ryuko cocked and eyebrow, mirroring the silent astonishment of his companions. "Impressive, for a squirt." He said. The others nodded in agreement.

"Ichirou," Aoi said when the young Japanese Shinma relaxed from his spell. "Did you even notice them?"

"Oh course I did!" Ichirou snapped back.

"But they...were not Western Shinma." Kia said, sounding slightly puzzled. "It had no face, and that was not a mask."

"Then, what was it?" Kitsune asked. Mei-Ling pushed past the older Chinese Shinma and was moving towards the black puddle of blood before Tacha pulled her back.

"Tacha, it smells funny. Like bad meat." The young Feline observed. Tacha took a sniff. It did smell odd but very foul. She pulled back quickly, taking her sister with her.

"It smells..." she hissed in disgust. "Ryuko, Yoto, do you know what it is?"

"Believe me, we can smell it just fine from back here!" Ryuko retorted. All three Wolfins looked about as disgusted as she did, with Kitsune and Ryuko raising their paws to their noses. Even Yoto was grimacing. 

"I know that smell..." The big man said. "But I can not place it..."

"That's why it's a good thing that the two of you are going to the ship." Ranka said, looking at Ryuko and Yoshi. "Something very vile is amidst here, and it's not just the Western Shinma. We need to know what it is."

Tacha said, "Then we can't waste time. We need to go immediately. First, I need to put Mei-Ling somewhere where she'll be safe. Do you think that Mori will mind if she's in the Fifth Layer? All right then. Verde, come with me. Mei-Ling, let's go." The three Felines left the area, Tacha arguing with her sister about why Mei-Ling could not follow Tacha.

"The day is still young. We will meet back here at sundown, if it is possible." Ranka said. "Ichirou and Chinese Shinma, it is up to you to make sure Yui gets here under all circumstances. Everyone, be wary. We are Miyu's last hope. We cannot fail her."

The Western Shinma ghost ship loomed before them, dark and ominous. Yoshi and Ryuko sat crouched under a low hedge on the end of the forest, watching, waiting. They had been like that for over an hour, ignoring the insects that were crawling over them and the burning ache in their limbs. Nothing on deck moved. It was barely past mid day, but it was hard to tell with the dark clouds that were boiling overhead. More snow was promised. To their right, the remains of the western Torii gate were still smoldering. "I'm sure it's safe to move." Ryuko whispered, even though he did not take his eyes from the dark ship before them. It rolled on dark, choppy water that was peaked by white foam. Yoshi nodded in agreement. "How will we get up there?"

"I can't carry you if I were to fly." Yoshi said. "You're too heavy. But I can carry you on my back if we were to climb up the sides. The only problem with that is they might hear us if we were to get a running jump to the sides of the deck. We'll have to decide what to do from there." Ryuko approved immediately; they really did not have another choice. They moved from their hiding place to the next safe sanctuary between the forest and the ship. The Western Shinma could come out at any time. Yoshi had erased all signs of his presence so he would not be detected to even the most sensitive Shinma; an illusion spell woven by Ryuko hid his own presence as well as their smells. They were practically invisible. Ryuko had considered making them truly invisible, but even as powerful as he was in the magic of illusion, the weave to do so was large and would be picked up by others. They slinked from a place of safety to place of safety, keeping low to the ground and looking more like cats than a bat and a wolf. This was exactly why Kia had chosen them for this mission; they were the only ones who were quiet enough to pull it off.

After what seemed to be an eternity, they were at a cliff over the water and ten feet away from the starboard side of the ship. The wood was cracked and splintering badly in several areas, which would make good footholds when they had to climb up it. When Yoshi had to climb up it, that was. Ryuko could scale rocks as if they were flat earth, but trees were a different matter. Or anything that was made of wood. They would be out of site to any Western Shinma who were to come on deck now, unless they looked over the side of the railing. But not there was only silence. With Yoshi's nod, Ryuko climbed onto his back and grasped his own forearms in his hands around Yoshi's neck, making sure that he was not hindering Yoshi's wings. The Wolfin was two or three inches shorter than Yoshi, but was solid muscle which made his heavier than the Avian had anticipated. At any other time they would also be cracking jokes left and right about the current situation, but this was no time for their foolish games. Mori was counting on them to save Miyu, and they were in a neck-to-neck race with time. With a grunt, Yoshi launched himself off of the cliff and spread his wings, catching the wind under them until he hit the side of the ship with a solid _ka-thunk._

Both Chinese Shinma froze where they were, Ryuko clinging to Yoshi's back and Yoshi hanging onto the side of the ship, all claws dug into the wood to hold on. This was not hard and he felt no strain; if he did not have a passenger that the moment, he would have been able to hold on without using his claws. Ryuko, on the other hand, wanted to get on deck as soon as possible. The ship was massive, the deck a hundred feet up from the surface of the water. The railing was twenty feet above them. The mere thought of the distance below them made his stomach churn. But for the moment, they were silent, listening. Had anyone inside heard them? Yoshi pressed and ear to the wood, listening. Not a sound from the inside. With a sigh, he scrambled up the starboard and pulled himself and his friend onto the deck.

The deck was barren, empty, much to their delight, but it was not time to breeze through this mission now. The tricky part was yet to come, and the most dangerous. On light feet they approached the door that led down below deck of the ship, to where the Western Shinma were dwelling. They were all down there, except for maybe Amy, who was still laying around in the forest somewhere. 

The two Chinese Shinma crept along the deck, both masking their steps through magic and natural silence. Though they made not a sound, not even the wood under their feet creaking, they moved slowly across the deck, creeping towards the door that lead below deck. It seemed to take an eternity to get there, but soon they were on either side of the portal, peering down into the darkness below decks. The air was rank with their scent, which smelt too human for the pride of Shinma, but there were no Western Shinma at close hand. Yoshi leaned forward, one ear inside the doorframe. At his nod they moved in. There was no one close enough to sense their entrance.

The snuck down the stairs with all the silence they could muster. Even though their feet would make no sound when it touched the stairs, the wood will still groan under their weight. The darkness of the cabins soon began to close around them and Yoshi began to softly click his tongue, using the trademark echolocation to move in the dark until his eyes adjusted. Ryuko has fewer problems seeing in the dark stairwell, but he wished he had Kia or Tacha's eyes with them to help. The ceiling was low, making Yoshi press his wings to his back and both crouch to fit down the narrow opening. Soon the stairwell didn't seem as dark anymore; there was a soft golden glow that was progressively making its way up the stairs to meet them. After what seemed like days the ceiling above them opened up to the parlor of the ship, a big room lit by two dozen or so brazen oil lamps mounted to the wall with iron bolts. The floor and all the walls had been polished until they gleamed, the wood a rich hazelnut color and a bright rug covered to floor woven with blue, green and gold. Worked tables and high-backed chairs made of cherry wood and oak were also bolted to the floor, padded with deep red velvet cushions with gold trimmings. Dark blue curtains covered one wall, ending in gold tassels that brushed the polished floor. A couch was set up near on of the corners with a very Victorian-age feeling to it. Everything was bolted to the ground, but it did not take away from the splendor of the room. These must have been higher Shinma, judging by the surroundings. The whole ship, for being as ugly as is was on the outside, looked like one of the lord's manors on the insides. Ryuko and Yoshi felt differently towards the gaudiness of the room. They cocked their eyebrows at each other in silent questioning; the corners of their mouths turned up in smirks as if they wanted to laugh. Neither of them had liked the Victorian age very well.

The fringes of Yoshi's ears suddenly flipped back, catching the faintest whisper of a sound. The sound of footsteps coming this way, and a lot of them at that. He flashed a warning look at Ryuko; they were in the middle of the parlor, in easy seeming distance of anyone coming out of the next room. Ryuko's eyes flickered up and spotted thick planks just below the ceiling that kept the deck supported above, cloaked in gray shadows that would hide them from anyone that was not looking at them too closely. He mouthed the words "rafters" to his companion and both leapt straight up, catching a wooden beam and pulling themselves onto it, pushing into the shadows.

The Western Shinma entered through the door that the Chinese Shinma were just standing before. Seven Occidental Shinma entered through the portal, and Ryuko snarled silently at the sight of them; they still had the scent of Miyu's blood on them. "Then it's true?" Spartoi asked, questioning something that the Chinese Shinma had obviously missed. Ryuko and Yoshi sniggered at the sight of the still-visible dent in Cait Sith's head.

"Yes. My messenger has informed me before he was killed by the Japanese Shinma." The dark-skinned Shinma was saying. "Miyu can be revived. And Yui has Miyu's blood." The two hidden Chinese Shinma exchanged anxious glances in the dark and leaned forward to make sure they heard every word. "We must destroy her before she can reach the Fifth Layer!"

"Then let us go with you." Water Lipper said harshly, almost a hiss. It sounded like a snake getting ready to wrap its coils around an unsuspecting rodent. "I'm bored here, and the real battle is about to begin."

"Me too!" Lemunia snapped. It sounded as if he just wanted an excuse to get off the ship.

"Very well…" a sneer curled Cait Sith's mouth. "You two take care of Yui. The rest of you find the Second Layer! Or what's left of it, anyway. There is no Elder to deal with, only a sentinel that should be no harder to kill than the vampire girl. With her out of the way, this world is practically ours!"

"What about the other Elders? Mori and her sons?" Carlua asked, trying to keep her voice steady but it still quaked with every other word.

"I don't think we need to worry about them." Spartoi said, as if trying to comfort her fear. "They're bound to crumble to dust in a matter of days. They're said to be almost three times as old as the Earth Realm, and nothing can last for that long. Let's go, Larva!" He said, turning around to face his friend. "We'll take care of those weak Japanese fools!"

"Right." Larva said with a cruel smirk. 

"I'm coming too!" Carlua said, grabbing her mask from a near-by table. Before Pazusu could say anything to discourage her from going, she was following her companions through the door that lead to the stairs to the deck. He did not like the idea of her in the Japanese Realm now that the Elders were involved. True, they were old and probably were not going to fight personally, but Mori's sons, Mioshi and Okkoto, were still young and fast and had all their mother's strength in both of them. But before he had a chance to tell Larva to at least watch out for her, her mask dropped from her hand and she collapsed to the floor.

"Carlua!" Pazusu cried. He was at her side at an instant, holding her up to support her even though she was completely unconscious. Larva and Spartoi both turned around, but it was Larva that approached Pazusu, who had a hand on his foster daughter's forehead. She was sweating slightly, but other than that, she looked unharmed.

"What's wrong?" Larva asked, concern laced in his voice. Up above, Ryuko shifted slightly when he felt jealously waves radiating from Yoshi. The bat Shinma's eyes were narrow as he glared down below, trembling slightly. Ryuko wondered what had made him so mad.

"It's nothing." Pazusu said. "She's just weak from lack of blood." Larva gave a start, and the radiation coming from Yoshi intensified. "You go on ahead."

"Yes, sir." Larva said reluctantly, but his eyes did not leave his cousin. _She did this for me… I am sorry, Carlua…_ With a sigh, he turned away where Spartoi was waiting for him. "I'll be on my way, then."

"Don't worry, Larva." Spartoi said, patting his friend on the shoulder. "Lord Pazusu will care for her!" The two Western Shinma acceded the stairs up to the deck and disappeared. Pazusu picked up Carlua and carried to the couch and laid her down upon it, then sat in a nearby chair so he could watch her. His back was to the door that had come through, making an easy way to the lower parts of the ship for the Chinese Shinma. At first Pazusu and Carlua looked to be the only people left, but then Ryuko and Yoshi noticed Cait Sith standing by the door, watching the exit until the other Western Shinma could not be seen anymore. Then he turned and left through the door that the Chinese Shinma had hoped to get through. 

"Now where is he going?" Ryuko whisper. They waited in the rafters for a few moments after the dark-skinned Shinma was out of smelling and hearing range, then they too carefully and slowly crawled out of the rafters and followed him down the dark hall. Pazusu never knew they were there.

"Dude, what's up with you?" Ryuko asked as they moved down the hall, pressed close to the wall. "The way you reacted when the girl collapsed…"

Again Yoshi burned with anger. This was beginning to frighten Ryuko. Yoshi was usually in a good, carefree mood all the time, always goofing off and making a jackass of himself. When he was mad, and mad enough for anyone in a ten-foot radius to feel it, must have been something really terrible that Ryuko did not catch. He stopped where he was, looking at the ground. "That ungrateful… he doesn't even feel guilty for what he did…"

"Yosh, you know that's not really him. They must have done something to him when he was killed. I think I have an idea, but…"

"That's not the point!" Yoshi said, whirling around to face Ryuko, his voice a dangerous whisper. "If he cared about her they way we thought we did, he wouldn't have done that! Or he would feel at least a little bit sorry for it! Ryuko, we can't let them get to Miyu. We can't let her down. I… I can't…" With that he bit his lip and looked down.

Ryuko felt as if an iceberg had settled in the pit of his stomach. He suddenly knew why Yoshi was so upset. He wanted to say something that would bring him back to himself, but he knew that it would only put Yoshi in a worse mood and most likely blow their cover. He put a supporting hand on his friend's shoulder. "Nothing's going to happen to her, Yosh." He said. "They're only nine Shinma, a long way from home and here all alone. We've got two Realms behind us. And if the Japanese Shinma rising against them doesn't scare them out, then we will." Slowly, reluctantly, Yoshi nodded. "Come on then. Let's see what this freak is up to. He doesn't smell right."

The two Shinma continued down the dark hall, keeping a clean distance between themselves and the Western Shinma before them. They did not have to worry about loosing him; his scent cut a clear path for them as if it were illuminated arrows pointing them in the right direction. Deeper and deeper into the ship they went, the passageways and halls becoming darker and smaller the whole way through. "Hold it." Ryuko said, holding out a hand before they entered one room. "Someone's in here. Not Cait Sith. Smells like…" he paused for a moment, drawing in one quick breath. "Night Gia. Stay here, I'll be right back. Wait for my signal." Pressing himself flat against the wall, which was something Yoshi had a hard time doing thanks to his wings, Ryuko slipped into the room. Not too long after that Yoshi heard a muffled cry that was silenced as soon as it was heard. He spared one peek into the room and saw Ryuko hunched over an unconscious figure in his arms. Even in the weak light where his vision was not as strong as the Wolfin's, he could make out the figure to be Night Gia. Ryuko's nose had not failed them yet. He laid Night Gia carefully on the ground and motioned for Yoshi to join them.

"He'll be out for a while." Ryuko said when Yoshi inquired the situation. "We couldn't have him making any noise and giving away our location. The ones above may not have heard us, but the one below would have had no problem. He still looked shaken from the last time we saw him. Damn, I'm good." He chuckled.

"It's getting stuffy." Yoshi whispered. Ryuko then noticed it for the first time. The air was thicker, mustier, and damp. They must be below the water line, well into the ship's deep belly. He immediately wondered what the Shinma they had been following was possibly keeping down here. "I wonder how much… Oh! Hide!" At his word both ducked behind a large pile of broken down crates and barrels to be unseen by Cait Sith.

The Western Shinma was standing not more than twenty feet in front of them, looking down into a dark stairwell that extended even deeper into to ship's hull. Both Chinese Shinma held their breaths as if they had spotted him at a hundred yards away, but their hearts thudded in their chests as if they had just run ten miles. Had he heard them? How could he not? They had not been talking at the safe whisper they should have maintained, but he showed no signs of suspicion. He only continued to stare down the stairs. Was he waiting to strike? Yoshi and Ryuko pushed themselves lower to the cold damp wooden planks as if trying to become one with the floor. Instead of turning around or unleashing any sort of attack their direction, he descended the stairs and was out of sight.

Both Shinma let out the breath they had been holding for a good two minutes. Ryuko motioned for Yoshi to stay where he was and slinked on his belly over to the stairwell. The air was dank and smelt strongly of molding rot, but even in the dark he could see Cait Sith was no longer on the stairs and was now standing in the middle of a room that was quite large. And quite well furnished for being in the bottom of a ship. Thick curtains hung from the ceiling, falling down the walls and onto the floors. With Cait Sith's back was towards him Ryuko motioned for his companion to join them. "Too risky to go down." He whispered so softly that even Yoshi had to strain a bit to hear. "We can hear just fine from up here." Yoshi nodded in agreement and both slunk to their bellies, hanging over the top step to catch every word spoken.

Cait Sith remained motionless where he stood for a moment of two longer, then raised a dark clawed hand and moved the nearest curtain out of the way, pinning it to the wall. Behind it stood a stone statue of a woman, draped in another aged cloth. She was wearing a dress that was split up on leg, a tall turban and her ringed left hand was drawn up towards the hollow of her neck. At first sight of it Yoshi and Ryuko felt as if they had been plunged into a pool of icy water. Every muscle tensed and a violent shiver ran down their spines. This statue was…evil. It was the only word that suited it.

Then Cait Sith spoke. "Just a little while longer, Mama!" The two Chinese Shinma blinked. His…mother? This was getting weirder and weirder all the time. "The time is drawing nearer…I can feel your life force, Mama! It will be very soon…I can hardly wait!" A smile split his face that was as cold and cruel as the feeling that surrounded them. Then something stirred in the shadows behind the statue and the room suddenly became darker than before. "Now…sorry to keep you waiting!" And four figures emerged from the shadows who, to Ryuko and Yoshi's shock and horror, had no faces, just like the thing that had been spying on them while they were talking to Ranka, Aoi and Ichioru. "What an assembly! The four mightiest of our Clan!" One of the creatures was massive, as wide in the shoulders as it was tall, draped in a dead-black cloak with some sort of hood pulled over the white face with what looked to be two horizontal horns protruding from the sides, above the temples. The hood of the mask had two thin slashes across the bottom of the hood that looked like eyes and a golden mark on the left side of its face. One of the other ones, having the same structure of a well-built man, wore a tall white hood with some sort of dark gold mark on the front. It…or he, so it looked…wore dark gold plates of armor on his shoulders that looked as if they were pulled down so they were level with his elbows, and a sort of white sash around his waist and knee-high white boots. Dark red marks were slashed across the sides of his face, much like what High Shinma would have, but these things were far from Shinma. The other male in the group also wore a tall hood, which was topped by what looked like a cat's head. He too was dressed in all black and had heavier shoulder armor than the other wore that looked like gripping hands. The last was a female, who wore her pale hair in a mass atop her head and a white veil over her mouth. She wore a shoulder-less and sleeveless top and opaque pants that hinted at rather shapely legs. 

"Prince…" One of them hissed. To Yoshi and Ryuko, it felt as if icy cold fingers had gripped their spines. "You have summoned us! Will our Queen be resurrected soon?"

"Prince?" Yoshi's voice was a whisper of a whisper. "What does that mean?"

"Yes." Cait Sith said, a cruel smile forming on his face. "You no longer have to hide. Your powers will soon be unleashed!"

"We thank you." Another rasped. "No, what do you wish of us?"

"You know telepathically, but I'll tell you again. Gia, Gigi, and Gio, you are to pursue the Japanese Shinma and kill Yui! And Gima, you shall help me find the seal!"

"As you wish!" Said the female, Gima, who's voice was anything but attractive.

One of the creatures hisses again: "What do we do about Water Lipper and Lemunia?"

Cait Sith was silent for a moment, as if he was thinking, but the Chinese Shinma had a feeling as if he had known the answer for a long time before it was asked. "Well…if they find and kill Yui, that is good! However, we're not so sure how loyal they truly are. If we fail the task we gave them, you know what to do." He waved his hand, making a grand gesture for emphasis. "Yui has Miyu's blood. You must kill her, or there will be two vampires in this world. We must not allow that to happen."

"Yes, sir!" All four creatures said in unison.

"Now, begone!" Cait Sith commanded them, and three of the four creatures disappeared.

Yoshi felt a sudden tug at his arm and saw Ryuko in a near panic. He made frantic gestures, and without questioning he followed. The two Chinese Shinma recoiled from the top of the stairwell and ran as quickly as they could while retaining their stealth back down the hall and into an adjacent storage room that was filled to the ceiling with dark, cracked and dusty barrels. They wedged themselves as far back as they could before Yoshi asked, panting for breath, "What'd you do that for? What has you so worked up?"

"Yoshi, do you have any idea who they are?" Ryuko asked, seizing Yoshi's shoulders and shaking him. By the blank look on Yoshi's face, he assumed not. "Yoshi, they're Quarls!"

Yoshi frowned at his friend. "Don't be ridiculous. The Quarls were all killed in the Shinma Wars! Everyone knows that."

"You saw what just happened! Do you remember what they looked like, what they smelt like? All the High Quarl have dark skin and titled eyes, and the Higher they are, the more human-like they are. They like dark places, and this is ship is perfect."

"Slow down!" Yoshi said. "You're not making any sense."

Seeming to think so too, Ryuko took a deep breath, running a hand through his sandy-blonde hair. "All right. It's obviously that this guy has no friendly connections to Larva. The only thing he seems to be interested in is killing Miyu and anything or anyone that can bring her back. The Quarls are terrified of vampires. Do you remember how half of them fled when Kyuko stepped into battle? These guys called Cait Sith prince and asked if their Queen was to be resurrected soon. Cait Sith called the statue "mother". Kyuko turned Caial to stone, remember, and the seal was guarded by Mori. Yoshi, we were there when it happened, don't you remember? We saw the statue of the Quarl Queen! That was her, Yoshi! They're here to return her to flesh and finish what they started during the wars! Why do you think they want Miyu dead so bad?"

Yoshi's face was still serious, unbelieving for only an instant more, then all blood drained from it and he looked exactly how Ryuko felt. "Shit…oh, shit…what do we do? God damn it, Ryuko, what do we do? They're going to kill her…"

"Warn the Western Shinma first then find Mori. It's obvious that they used this ship for this purpose alone. Come on. We don't have much time!" They rose from their hiding spots and crept to the door, looked both ways for anyone coming, then headed back the way they came in. Soon they were back in the room that Night Gia was still laying unconscious in. "Wait…" Ryuko said, stopping. "I have an idea. Can you write something on the wall, a type of warning?"

"Sure." Yoshi said. He turned and flung out his hand. A ball of orange flame erupted from his fingertips and hit the aged wood. Words flared against the wall before dying off quickly. 

Ryuko was kneeling on the ground next to Nigh Gia, and from what Yoshi could sense, was reversing the spell Ryuko had used on his earlier to put him asleep. Night Gia's eyes fluttered heavily but as soon as he saw the Wolfin crouched over him his eyes went as wide as saucers and he began to back up as far away as he could from Ryuko. "Hey, bud, can you do us a small favor? Just let out a nice, loud scream."

Night Gia did not have to be asked twice. The fear of seeing both of the Chinese Shinma in the ship, in their territory, was enough for his yells to echo around the entire ship. By the time it died off, they were gone.

Pazusu looked away from Carlua once when he heard Night Gia's scream. Was the boy just having nightmares? Or was something else a foot? There was something wrong in the air. Something had left the ship. For a moment, he thought it could be…no, it was impossible. More than impossible. But, still… With on last look at Carlua, who was still asleep on the couch, he left the room, down into the deep belly of the ship.

"Night Gia, what is the matter?" Pazusu asked when he saw the other Western Shinma backed against the wall, looking more terrified than when they had met him back on the ship.

"C-Chinese Sh-Shinma! Here! R-right here!"

"There's no one here but us." Pazusu tried to reassure him. "They won't come here."

"B-but they were!" Night Gia moaned. "A-and they left s-something! A m-message!" He pointed a trembling finger to the opposite wall. Pazusu, feeling as if the only way Night Gia would semi-calm down was if he looked, glanced over his shoulder in the direction Night Gia was pointing. He gave a start when he saw the smoldering wood.

__

A traitor lays among you. Be wary.


	11. The Sakura Princess

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

The Sakura Princess

__

A traitor lays among you. Be wary.

The message had chilled Pazusu to the core. If the circumstances had been different, he would not have given it a second thought. Had they been different, he would have been more taken aback that a Japanese Shinma had been foolish enough to enter the ship. Or a Chinese Shinma. They had two whole Clans against them. But why were they here? Clearly not for an attack. If they had, they would have been taken by surprise and the outcome would have been unfavorable on their behalf. But it was because of the current situation that had but Pazusu on edge. Before he had heard Night Gia's screams, before he went deeper into the ship to see what had spooked the boy, he had felt an odd power surge of something Gating off the ship and towards the mainland. He automatically knew it was not a Western Shinma. By the time he had felt it they were all off the ship and ventured into the Japanese Shinma Realm. And the Chinese and Japanese Shinma may be savage, but they were not stupid enough to teleport onto and off of the ship. That was the other odd thing; nothing had entered the ship via a Gate. So if it was not any of the three Shinma Clans, it left just one option left…

"Impossible!" He said suddenly, rubbing his eyes. "Could have it been a Quarl? No, impossible…" Every last Quarl had been dead since the Shinma world. Killed, or chased into some unknown world to shrivel and die. All but one, that is. "Cait Sith? What are you doing…?" Deep down inside, Pazusu knew that it was not just Cait Sith. The strange vibration that had passed through the ship's hull was that of multiple being leaving. And all Quarls. Something was horribly wrong, but Pazusu could not bring himself to think of the possibilities of who this traitor was. The first thought that flashed into his mind was it was Larva, but he discarded it faster than it had come to him, as if the idea was the vilest thing in existence. That was preposterous. They were running a risk of Larva returning to the vampire girl, but the risk was slim. No one could survive those wounds. Not even a vampire. And even if, somehow, he did remember, he would not turn on them. He doubted that the other Western Shinma would do so either. They were here to retrieve their friend, and to test their strength against their enemies. 

There was a slight moan from the couch, and all previous thoughts vanished like smoke. Carlua was still asleep- a common side effect of the _Mashujutsu_- but now she was dreaming, and it sounded like a nightmare. With a sad, concerned smile, Pazusu reached down to brush some of her golden hair from her face. When his fingers touched her, he immediately was able to see exactly what she was dreaming and his heart sank. "Carlua, I can see your long-buried nightmare…" She was so young when it happened, just a baby still, yet it stood out in her mind as clearly as it did in his…

* * *

__

The doomed past comes back to haunt you…

The Shinma War for power…

A roaring fire…

A collapsing castle…

The smells of death and carnage lay everywhere. The clash of swords filled the air and the ground was red with blood. Black with blood, but Pazusu ignored all of it. There was only one thing he could afford to think about now. Only one thing that matters. He ran through the raging battle, dodging the flashing blades and crossbow bolts, stepping on things that crunched under his feet and splashed boot on his boots, soaking through to his stockings. A rancid smell also hung in the air amongst the smell of blood and gunpowder. It smelt like old meat, rotting flesh…under any other circumstances it would have been a smell that would have made his head swim, but his mission was elsewhere. There was no time to think about anything else. I must hurry…in order to keep the promise I made!

__

After what seemed like an eternity, he was at the front gates of a huge castle. Or what remained of it. Flames spewed from the highest windows of the highest towers and stones rained down from above. Somewhere on the other side of the castle, a tower collapsed. Had he taken any longer, he would have been too late. Even standing here, watching the Count's castle collapse before his very eyes was costing valuable time. And was the nursery not close to the end of the castle? Cold fear washed through him as he pulled open the massive door and sprinted in. He ran through the halls, turning corners sharply and racing up staircases at break-neck speed.

Finally he reached the great double-doors that lead to the nursery. It looked to still be in one piece, and there was no visible smoke coming from under the doorway. He grabbed the handle; it was cold. He did not even sigh in relief; he only threw open the doors with a bang. "Carlua!" 

Despite the roar of the fire echoing through the halls and the floors above, Pazusu could clearly hear the cry of a baby, no more than a few months old. And, holding her, was a young boy, no older than five or six on human terms, wearing a black robe. His red eyes flashed fiercely under his pale blue hair, but his entire expression changed when he saw who came bursting into the room unannounced. The poor boy…like the baby he was holding, he was alone now too. His parents dead, one of the first to fall under the sword when the whole thing began, and Pazusu had not heard from Bryan or Elizabeth for weeks, and he immediately feared the worse. But there was no time to think about that. The worse part was over; Larva and Carlua were safe. Now he had to get them out of the castle. "Larva…" Pazusu breathed as he lowered the white scarf that had wrapped around his mouth and nose to protect them from the smell of the Quarl blood. "You two are safe! Good job, boy…you protected your cousin!"

"My master…" Larva said, obviously glad to see him. In the boy's eyes, Pazusu was a second father, best friend to his own and his uncle. 

Pazusu went over to the children and took Carlua from Larva's arms. The baby was still crying. _Pazusu felt a terrible pang come over his heart when he heard her wails for her mother and father, but there was nothing he could do. Instead he forced a smile to let Larva know that were was nothing to be afraid of. "Let's go!"_

Larva seemed to be too relieved to see a friendly face than to be afraid. "Yes, sir!" He answered his eyes bright. Pazusu seized the boy's hands and fled from the nursery as smoke began to seep through the ceiling and the rafters began to smolder. If there was anyone else left in the castle, then he had no time to look for them. A promise was a promise, and he prayed that everyone else would get out in time. From somewhere behind them, a ceiling caved in and he could feel the heat on their backs. Pazusu ran faster, dragging Larva along with him.

"We have to hurry…" he urged the child. "Or we'll burn alive!" Of all the places to attack…he knew that this was where the Quarls came first while they were searching for the Count, but to burn it even after he fled…

The forest surrounding the castle was darker than night, darker than the blood that covered the ground. Even though they were out of the castle, they had to get as far away as possible. The sounds of the battle raged behind them, but they were alone. Or…where they? Something rippled the air. Something was behind them, chasing them, and closing in fast, with a very hostile attitude. A Pursuer? A Quarl that was incredibly fast, its speed for chasing and killing could go almost unmatched. Pazusu knew that it was impossible to outrun it, so they had to get away by other means. He had both the children, and this demon was not going to stop them. "Larva!"

"Yes?" Larva panted, obviously running low on breath.

"You can keep up with me, right?" Pazusu asked, taking a sharp turn in the dark forest.

"Yes, I'll try to!"

It was little use; the Pursuer went right after them. What?_ Pazusu thought, almost at a panic. It was not any Quarl. What was chasing them was the exact thing that Pazusu was trying to get away from. _That is?_ In the stress of the moment he opened a Transportation Gate and pushed Larva through before jumping through himself, clutching the baby to his chest, to a place far away from here. He acted not a moment too soon; he felt the wind rush past his face as it passed them, ready to deliver a killing blow before it realized it was too late._

The Quarl was not discouraged. In fact, in smiled; a vile, evil smile. "Humph." It snorted, its voice dry, sounding like a viper slithering through dead leaves. "Running scared."

_In the distance, inside of a halo of fiery orange against a dead-black sky, the once proud castle crumbled, falling off the side of the cliff to be reduced to a pile of smoldering rubble. All Pazusu and Larva could do was watch, not saying a word, but Pazusu had other things on his mind. "Quarl…" It was them that did this to their home. "Is it still after us? No, it can't be. They're not in this war!" No matter how many times he told himself that, he knew it was not true. It was them that pulled them into this war in the first place. _

"Lord Pazusu?"

Pazusu looked down at Larva. The boy was holding his cousin who, even after all the commotion, was fast asleep. The poor child. "Carlua…" He whispered tenderly as he bent to touch the child's face, remembering how this all came to be.

* * *

"Please, take care of my daughter…"

"Count Rall!" Pazusu exclaimed, holding his friend in his arms. There was a deep wound in his chest and Pazusu knew that no matter how hard he prayed, the Count would not live. Even if he was not so weak, his healing powers would do nothing more than delay death for a few moments longer.

"My friend…" Rall panted, gasping for air so he could speak, to seal on final promise. "I beg you, please…"

Pazusu reassured him: "Don't worry, I will!"

Rall looked content with Pazusu's promise, but there was something else he needed to tell him. "Pazusu…about the Quarl…"

"The Quarl?"

"Yes…the Quarl…watch out for them!" Pazusu was taken aback by Rall's words. All though he never really trusted the Quarl, the Western Shinma and the Quarl always held a loose alliance. Why would he need to watch out for them. Before he could ask what it meant, Rall's body went limp in his arms.

"Rall!" Pazusu cried. "Count Rall!" It was already too late. Rall's body disappeared, dissolving into mist, leaving Pazusu alone. "Goodbye, Rall…" he said sadly. The sadness was quickly replaced by anger as he stood up. _The Quarl…So, they did betray us!_

* * *

The Quarl…Caial, you bitch…

_"Master Pazusu…" Larva asked, looking up at Pazusu. He had almost forgotten that the boy was there as he recalled the Count's final words. "Where are my family and Uncle Rall?"_

Pazusu smiled. He could not tell the boy the harsh truth, so he quickly came up with the best solution to the problem that he could think of. "Aren't we family too, Larva?" He asked.

"Yes, but what about…"

"Then we are all we need then!" Pazusu said, putting an immediate end to the conversation and the problem. He hoped that Brian and Elizabeth were alive, but the boy needed an adult role model. The two were nice kids, but they could sometimes be…well, he was not going to cut off contact between them, but it was better that he took both Larva and Carlua under his wing. "Is that okay?"

"Yes!" larva said, holding Carlua close. "You're my master!"

"Now then, some with me and Carlua…"

It seemed so long ago that that had happened…Pazusu had taken Carlua and Larva in as foster children since there was no one else for them. Now he sat at the edge of the couch, gently brushing Carlua's soft blonde hair from her face. She was more than a foster daughter to him. To Pazusu, Carlua was…his own daughter. And he was the only fatherly figure that she had ever known, all though she knew that he was not her real father even though she remembered nothing of Rall. "Carlua…my daughter… we should have never come here…"

* * *

Yui stopped swinging her feet. A look of worry came over her young, innocent face. "Something's…happened to Miyu."

"Happened to who, Yui?" Her _Shimobe_ Nagi asked from below the tree branch she was sitting on. "What are you talking about?"

"I sense it…" Yui continued as if she had not heard Nagi speak. Water was form in her eyes. She hated it when she cried in front of Nagi so she closed her eyes tightly but they tears slipped through the closed lids as easily as water through fingers. "Something tragic has happened to Miyu!"

But no matter how hard she wished it, she could not hide the tears from Nagi. He had stood up, which put him at equal height with his vampire mistress even though she was sitting on the tree branch. "H-hey!" He said sternly. "What's with the tears? Why are you crying?"

"I-I don't know!" Yui choked, stammering on her own held-back sobs. He limbs begin to tingle then felt as if they were being stuck at by thousands of white-hot needles. "But I can't stop!" The pain became more intense, burning her entire body. "It hurts! Everything hurts!" Nagi, concerned for Yui's well being, reached out to grasp one of her slender hands in his own to comfort her, but it did not stop the pain or the screams. "Miyu! MIIII-YUUUU!" Miyu was…injured, barely alive. That, Yui was sure of. She was in danger. She was dying. Dying at the hands of someone she had cared about very much.

Yui continued to cry and snuffle for a few more moments with Nagi holding her hand in one of his and patting her shoulder with the other. Finally, with a great heaving sigh, the crying stopped and she looked into the horizon with a new set determination on her face. "I must go!"

Nagi looked puzzled by the sudden mood swing and by her sudden statement. He did not like it when she decided to go somewhere without his approval. "Where to?" He asked.

"Miyu's blood is calling…" Yui said, sounding distant, as if she had not heard Nagi's question. "It courses through my veins…and it cried to me for help. I'm in pain…my arms, legs, everything hurts…Miyu is crying…"

"Yui, what are you talking about?" Nagi asked, beginning to feel frustrated. He hated being left in the dark, especially when Yui talked like this. It scared him a little too. She was nothing like her usual cheerful, optimistic self.

"Under a blooming cherry blossom orchard…my widowed mother was given happiness by Miyu. I received Miyu's blood while still in my mother's womb. The spring of my fourteenth year was the time of my Awakening…" Yui could still here Miyu's voice calling to her that one faithful day…

__

"Your blood pressure feels low…right, Yui?" Miyu leaned closer to Yui, cupping the girl's face in her hands. "Good girl…you're a vampire now! You are my sister, my daughter, and my incarnation!"

"Yui?" Nagi said, concerned. He was beginning to worry now. 

"Nagi…Miyu is calling me. She's calling me, I must help her!"

* * *

Yui ran through the forests of Japan. She did not know where she was running to; all she knew they she had to follow Miyu's voice where ever it would lead her. It was the only thing that mattered now, even more than Nagi's protests behind her: "Hey! Where are you going?"

"That voice?" Yui said to herself, ignoring Nagi's noisy shouts. "I must follow it! It is Miyu's! To the Shinma Realm!"

"Damn it!" Nagi cursed. "This is not my day!"

__

Yui...

Tears sprang to Yui's eyes as she heard Miyu's calls and she felt a sharp pain grip her heart. "I've never felt this excruciating pain before!" With a whimper, she collapsed to the ground.

Nagi gasped as he saw Yui fall. As her _Shimobe_, he had sworn to protect her from anything and everything, even if included tripping and falling. But this…was so unlike his little vampire that it was scaring him. She never took off like this without telling him first and, usually, fighting with him on the subject until he let her go. "What is it?" He asked, dropped to his knees next to her. "Yui…? Are you hurt?"

"I must…hurry…" Yui panted. "I'm okay. How far is it? It will take a while…Miyu…?" Large crystalline tears rolled down her cheeks.

Nagi had seen the tears and he hated seeing Yui crying more than anything. It pained him to see her sad, but the one way to bring her back to herself was a rather harsh one. "Yui! Don't cry!" he shouted at her. Yui looked up at him immediately, her tear-filled eyes large. "I'm with you, so be strong! Besides, I hate weak people!" Yui swallowed hard, but nodded. He was right. The only way she was going to reach Miyu was by keeping a clear mind and not falling to the ground weeping. "Let's go then." Nagi said, standing up.

* * *

Lemunia hated the Japanese Realm. It was so dark, so eerily silent and empty. And there were too many trees. He ran through the forest, dodging the trees that loomed all around him, and alone. "That bitch Water Lipper ditched me!" He snorted to himself as he made his way deeper into the Japanese Shinma Realm.

__

Lemunia…catch me if you can! Water Lipper's mocking laughter trailed after him as she disappeared ahead of him.

"I really hate the way she acts, always treatin' me like a kid! This really stinks…Lemures is gone and Carlua always ignores me. My life stinks…what?" His steps faltered only for a moment as a moving force rushed past him…three, it felt like, moving even faster than he was. Not Shinma, though. But if not Shinma, then what? Then they were gone.

* * *

"What do we do about the boy?" Gio rasped harshly as they passed Lemunia.

"He is of no use to us." Gia replied back, his voice hissing. "He will just get in our way."

* * *

The cold air slapped Yoto and Kitsune in the face as they ran through the forests of the Japanese Spirit Realm. So far they had no luck in finding Yui, if she was here at all. Ranka had told them that she would be without a doubt since she had a strong blood bond with Miyu, but they had been looking for over an hour. And the Japanese Shinma provided no help since the ones left were all in hiding. The only Shinma they did come across was a small group of _Kappas_, weak water demons that were almost lower than any First Layer Shinma. They were not much help; instead they only ended up repeating their own questions over and over until the two Chinese Shinma threw their hands into the air and left, leaving the _Kappas_ to brood over their own inquires. 

"Yoto, this is impossible!" Kitsune said as the search deepened. "The Japanese Shinma Realm is huge! There is no way we're going to find one person in these forests!" She was cut off in order to dodge a tree branch from slapping her in the face. "Besides, how do we know she's here?"

"She'll be here." Yoto answered. "You know how we can sense even when a Japanese Shinma opens a Gate in their own Realm, and a Western Shinma even more so. It won't be hard to track down someone who is from a different race all together. Keep a sharp nose out as well, Kitsune. We have to find them."

"Yes, true…" Kitsune said, sounding a little distant. Yoto's reasoning was logical- damn the man, they always were- but she still was unsure how the were going to do this. The Japanese Shinma Realm was, by far, smaller than the Western Shinma Realm or their own, but it was so much more complex than either of them. She had read too much history to recognize the structure. The reasoning for war, for instance. In all the worlds of all the different dimensions she had read about, there was never a single cause to the war. The human World War Two, for example. If she went up to any human in the realm and asked them what was the causation behind the war, they would immediately answer that Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party were to blame. But the more you read and learned about it, the more you came to realize that the actual cause was not one event, but dozens of them, even events that, at first, had no concern with the main picture. The Japanese Shinma Realm was composed in such a way. It was not one solid realm, but was actually pieced together of the subworlds and the worlds of the minds of all its inhabitants. So, in other words, it was a realm composed of thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of individual realms that could not be touched by anyone but its maker to make the physical world. And Yui could possibly end up in any one of those worlds or, even worse, in a gutter between the worlds. If that happened, it could take forever to find her. This was one of the few times that an immortal and time were racing against each other.

Suddenly the world shuddered, feeling like the shock wave of a massive explosion. "Yoto…did you…"

"Yes." Yoto said immediately. "That had to be the _Shi_. It came from this way." Abruptly he halted and turned sharply to the right with the fox-demon only a hair behind him.

"When you said we would be able to feel it, I had no idea you meant to that magnitude! Every Shinma within five miles will be able to feel that!"

"Exactly; we don't have much time."

Kitsune did not know how much more they ran for, but by the time they made any more progress it was nearing noon. The day was growing older, and time was short. Then, on the breeze, she picked up the faint scent of something or someone not more than half a mile directly before them. It was no Shinma, either. 

They burst through a thick wall of foliage at full speed, almost knocking over two people on the other side. One of them was a small girl, no older or taller than Miyu with soft brown hair and wearing a pink _yukata_ with a red sash, and the other a young man with long brown hair, pulled back at the base of his neck. At the sight of the two Shinma, one of which was absolutely huge, the young girl cried out in surprise and ducked behind the man and a _katana_ immediately flashing into his hands, poised and ready to battle. "Hold, _Shi_! Sheath your sword, we mean no harm!" Yoto said, grasping the blade in his hand. The sharp blade did not cut into his skin, even for how firmly he was holding it. 

"Who are you?" The man demanded. "I demand you identify yourselves or so help me!"

"Please sir, I am Kitsune, and this is Yoto. We are of the Chinese Shinma Clan and we have been sent specifically by the Elders of the Japanese Shinma to find a girl of the _Shi_ Clan who can help us." Kitsune quickly explained.

"Chinese Shinma? Then we're not in the Japanese Shinma Realm?" The young girl asked, poking her head out from behind her companion. Although her eyes were now dry, Kitsune could still smell the tears. 

"No, you are in the Japanese Realm. We are merely visitors. Since you are _Shi_, perhaps you can tell us where to find Yui, the Princess of your Clan?"

"I…I'm Yui." The girl said shyly. "What do you want with me?"

"Yes…" The young man said, still trying to pull his blade free from Yoto's fist. "What is it you want? We usually don't help your kind."

Kitsune heaved a sigh. "Oh, Yui…thank Gods we found you. We come to represent Mori and the other Elders of this Realm. Miyu is in the Fifth Layer of this Realm, badly injured and near death and we need you to help save her!"

"Miyu!" Yui's face lit up. Yoto released the sword and the man shoved it back into his scabbard. "You're here to take me to Miyu? Is she all right? I knew something bad happened to her! Didn't I tell you, Nagi?" Nagi snorted.

"Fine." He said gruffly. "So you come to tell us that we're in the right place. My thanks to you, but we can make our way to your Princess from here. Apparently Yui knows where she's going, so we don't need any help."

"It's not that simple, _Shi._" Yoto called after them as they turned away. "There are enemies here, the ones that did this to Miyu in the first place. They are Western Shinma, bent on killing the Sentinel and concurring this world. They were able to defeat Miyu when they turned her _Shimobe_ against her, but she still lives, although she is weak. And they somehow found out that Yui is the key to bringing her back. They will do anything to keep her from doing so. I suggest that you allow us to guide you."

Nagi glared at them despite the usual intimidation that Yoto gave to people. "Like I said, we don't need your help. The _Shi_ may be quieter than you, Shinma, but we are not weak. Come along, Yui. Let's get this over with so we can be done."

"But…but…" Yui did her best to protest and Nagi pushed her away.

The two Chinese Shinma watched them move off into the forest. "Well…he was a rude one, wasn't he?" She inquired to Yoto. "What should we do? Go tell Mori that they're here?"

"No." Yoto said. "I dare not leave them alone. The Western Shinma probably know that they are here. We'll follow them and make sure that no ill falls on them." Kitsune nodded. If the Western Shinma were as desperate for victory as they sounded, then they would kill both of them at a first glance. And something…did not feel right. She could smell it on the wind. The only thing they could do was watch…and wait.

* * *

Nagi kept a firm hand on Yui's shoulder as they moved through the Japanese Shinma Realm forest. He did not know who those Shinma were…Chinese Shinma? Who the hell were they? He had never heard of them before. But, who ever they were, he just wanted to get this done. And this Miyu was apparently important to Yui, so he wanted to make sure they got this done right and, hopefully, not encounter any more Shinma.

He did not see any Shinma when he risked a glance over his shoulder. He did not even notice the large white wolf and small red vixen-fox following them as they walked.


	12. Raging Waters

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Raging Waters

The water smelt of salt, which meant that it was directly connected to the sea. The river moved sluggishly, pacifically, as if it were taking its time. Unlike most other rivers, this one did not flow out to the sea, but rather from the sea and towards the Fifth Layer. That was why they were there. One of the Western Shinma was a water being and so it would be easy for her to get to the lower Layers undetected and get to Miyu. And Tacha was not about to let that happen.

The river reminded Tacha a little of the Japanese Shinma Realm. From where she stood the water was calm and smooth beneath her feet, but she knew that as the further they went down the river the more turbulent and dangerous it became. So much like the Japanese Spirit Realm. She knew that when the Western Shinma had first arrived here they saw an unpopulated area, totally deserted, and so it was easy for them to get through. They had no idea of the perils that they would face the further they went in. There were Shinma here that would not get involved unless they were intruded on, and if that happened, she doubted that the Western Shinma would get out alive. Tacha quickly turned her attention back to her duty. Chances were that if the sprite did try to her to the lower Layers she would not last very long against those rapids. Still, Tacha was not going to let a chance to dent one of their prides pass.

She did, however, wished that Ichirou would stop staring at her in the way that he was. She was not doing anything special; she was only standing on water. It was not a hard spell to master, but only people who could pull it off were people with stronger Waterblood powers, such as herself. Verde's powers were just shy of being able to do it and Ichirou did not have a drop of water-wielder powers in her veins, so it was out of the question. She did admit to herself that water walking probably did look odd to anyone who had never seen it before and it was bound to draw some attention, but at least she would be able to detect if the Western Shinma did come up this way. Any source of water-magic other than her own would ripple like a stone thrown into a pond.

Tacha sighed and took a few steps down the river. They had been here for only two hours, and still nothing. At one time they had felt the vibration of some sort ripple across the air, but it was not that of a Shinma. Perhaps it was a Shi, but it had come from the direction of the ocean. And it felt…wrong. Ichirou, being as young and anxious as her was, wanted to chase after it, but Verde and Tacha had persisted that he stayed. Not he was sitting on the shore next to Verde, pouting. Tacha did not blame him; the boy had an aura of one who wanted to see action and wished he had been alive during the Shinma wars so he could have taken part in part of the battles. Now that the Western Shinma were here and he was still not taking part of any of the action. It must have been very frustrating for him.

"I don't see why he wants to fight." Verde said with a sharp snort while Ichirou stalked around the edge of the dark forests. "If he could only knew what the real wars are like…he won't be thinking like that ever again."

"You can't blame him." Tacha responded from the river. "You were the same way."

"And never again!" Verde retorted. "I had nightmares for years. It's…not like the wars our Clan gets involved in. We use technology. We fight in giant suits of steel and never truly look upon the faces of our enemy. But the other Clans…use blades and bare hands. To see the eyes of a dying man while your sword protrudes from his chest…I never want to look forward to a war like that again."

Tacha remained silent, but she knew exactly was he was speaking of. Too many bad memories.

But things have been quiet between both sides since the attack on Miyu. Something had to give. The Felin felt a lump rise in her throat. _Miyu_… She did not want to be here. She wanted to be with Miyu, to remain by her side until she got better. _If_ she got better. _Oh Yoto, Kitsune…please, find Yui. Only Yui can help her now._

As if on cue an icy cold chill ran through Tacha's body, starting at her toes and moving up to the very crown of her head. Tacha suddenly became very ridged and alert, looking out down the river. It had come from the direction of those Western bastard's ship. She could not see anything in that direction, but that chill had been unavoidable.

"What is it, Tacha?" Verde asked as Tacha came running ashore.

"Did you feel it too?"

"Yeah."

"Feel? Feel what?" Ichirou asked excitedly, jumping to his feet. 

"A Western Shinma is coming this way, and she's close. Ichirou, this could get ugly. It might be better if you…"

"If I what? Stay behind?" The young werewolf blurted out, sounding very offended. His large ears twitched violently. "Not in your life! Listen Miss Chinese Shinma, this is _my_ home, and so it is my first priority to defend it. Besides, you already got to fight one of them! Tell you what; if it looks like I'm in trouble, _then_ you can help me!" With that he turned on his heel and stalked towards the riverbank.

"Nice kid." Verde said when he was out of hearing distance, and then made a very disgusted face as if he had bit into something that had been molding for a month. Tacha laughed, her mood picking up just the slightest bit.

Ichirou ran to the very edge of the shore of the river. He could not see the Western Shinma, but he knew she was out there; he could feel it. Picking up a small pebble, he tossed it out into the water and called out triumphantly: "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

Instantly the water began to churn and froth, first rippling the water and then creating small waves that rose to massive torrents. Suddenly a clawed, webbed hand shot out from the water as the waves condensed into the form of a woman with long hair and long, webbed ears. Water Lipper laughed softly as her deep green eyes fell on Ichirou. "Well, hello there, kid." She said silkily. "How did you know I was here? Your abilities impress me, child. By the way, I am Water Lipper. And who might you be?"

"I'm Ichirou of the Second Layer!" The young Japanese Shinma shouted back angrily. "And stop calling me 'kid'! I'll make you regret that!"

"Temper, Ichirou." Tacha called from behind. "It is as much as a fuel to your fight as it is a folly to your victory!"

Water Lipper casually looked to the spot where the new voice had come from and sneered. "Well, if it isn't you. I'm surprised that it's this little whelp wanting to fight and not you wanting to take your revenge. But, then again, it might be a little early for you to be talking about the follies of victory, as obviously it is something still out of your reach."

For a moment Tacha only stood where she was and blinked, as if trying to comprehend what Water Lipper had just said. Then she frowned, green fire in her eyes. "On second thought, Ichirou, kill the bitch."

The Western Shinma sneered at Tacha again before turning away. They were only children. There was no point to taking any thought to their threats. "So now, Ichirou." She continued as if she had never been interrupted. "Why don't you take me to where Yui is, like a god boy?"

"Forget you, bitch!" Ichirou yelled, baring his middle finger. "I'm not taking you anywhere!" Water Lipper only giggled softly. This was going to be fun.

Ichirou sprang forward first at full speed, attacking his opponent head-on. A field of energy-magic was growing around him. "_Kibarishi_!" He shouted loudly as he threw his hands before him. The energy condensed tightly around them before it was thrown forward, taking on the misty appearance of a giant wolf's head. Water Lipper did not look in the least bit alarmed. Instead she only lifted her arms above her head, almost lazily, and then extended them to either side of her body. A huge wall of water rose around her, completely hiding her from view from the Shinma on the shore. Ichirou's attack hit the waterspout dead center but, to his surprise, was seemingly swallowed by Water Lipper's defense, not even emitting a shock wave.

"What the…" Ichirou gasped, disbelieving, unable to comprehend what exactly just happened.

The wall of water fell away from Water Lipper, not a scratch marring her graying skin. She only laughed.

"That wasn't too bad…for a kid! But, alas, it doesn't matter anyway…"

Ichirou gave a start. That had been one of his more powerful attacks and it did not even make her blink. "Damn you…you bitch!" He growled through gritted teeth.

"Hey, Ichirou! You just gave her Kia's official nickname! She's gonna be pissed when she finds out!" Tacha called from the sidelines.

"You don't have a prayer!" Water Lipper said smoothly. "Especially here." She raised her arms again and the water around her began to swirl in a raging whirlpool. "So, my water!" She commanded it. "Punish him!" The water began to rise around her again, and then sprang forward towards Ichirou. The water jetted towards him with a deafening roar. The force was so strong that the first droplets that hit him cut deeply into his flesh. Ichirou grunted with pain with each new wound that appeared on his body. "Seek his skin and sink deep into it!" Water Lipper hissed. "Cut that kid in half!"

"Get the hell offa me, dammit!" Ichirou yelled, but at that moment the wave was about to wash over him he rushed to meet it. The Japanese Shinma fought through the water, which still cut and slashed at his skin relentlessly.

"What a little fool!" Water Lipper laughed. "Are you as dumb as you look? How dare you get into my water! Do you want to die that badly?" She giggled. "I'll grant you your wish, then!" Instantly the wave was gone, only to be replaced by one that was much larger and much more powerful.

Ichirou had no time to move or even make a sound as he took the brute brunt of the wave's full force. He was knocked clean off his feet and swept up off the ground. When the water of Water Lipper's magic died off, Ichirou was completely airborne.

"Incoming!" Verde shouted in alarm as Ichirou fell towards them. Tacha predicted the spot where he was going to land, held out her arms and Ichirou thudded into them.

"Ichirou," she said calmly. "You can't win this alone. Let me help you."

"I can do it!" Ichirou retorted as he jumped out of her arms. He shook the water off his body in a very dog-like manner. "But…maybe it would be a little nice…to have some help." It sounded as if saying that last part was very painful.

* * *

From up in the trees above, three shadowed figures watched the scene below them. "It looks as if Water Lipper will win this quite easily, even if those other two join the fight." Gio hissed. "Shall we stop her? We don't want her to kill that kid…all three of them for that matter…"

"He's out only link to Yui!" Gigi said.

"Wait." Gia said in a hissing rasp. "Let's just see what comes out of this."

* * *

"What the hell are you doing here in Japan, anyway?" Ichirou asked as he and Tacha took their stand.

"It's quite simple, Ichirou." Water Lipper answered. "We came here to get our revenge!" Tacha and Ichirou blinked, clearly confused and looking as if they had really heard what they heard. "Our Clan once suffered a humiliating defeat in this Realm! We are back to avenge what was lost!"

"Of all the hair-brained excuses!" Tacha blurted out angrily.

"A grudge from the old Shinma Wars?" Ichirou said. "What does that have to do with me? With any of us?"

Water Lipper did not seem to really hear either of them. "I have no problems with you! Just tell me where Yui is!"

"I have a better idea!" Ichirou shot back. "Why don't I show you my true powers?" A white mystic field surrounded his small body and Ichirou began to change. His already pointed ears grew dark fur as they moved more to the top of his head. The Japanese Shinma dropped to all fours as his hands and feet took on a canine-like appearance. His clothes fell away and with a low growl, Tacha saw a good-sized gray wolf where Ichirou was once standing.

"Oh! You're a lycanthrope! How wonderful!" Water Lipper said with a laugh. "What a cute, little boy!"

"I wouldn't sound so cocky, Western Shinma!" Tacha called back. "How do you think you can fare against two Shinma? I can guarantee that this time, the outcome will be different!"

The gray wolf threw back his head and howled towards the trees before leaping forward, straight into the water and charging towards the Western Shinma. Tacha followed closely behind him. Water Lipper only laughed again, but now she was sounding a little uncertain; her voice wavered. "Ichirou…a different form, but all the same moves!" She rose a hand and a wave rushed to swallow the wolf. "And you!" She said, rounding on Tacha. "I thought it was on your honor that all fights were to be kept one-on-one!" Water Lipper unleashed another surge on the Chinese Shinma, but suddenly it froze and then came back at her with even more force. The wave washed over her, almost knocking her off her feet. Her own attack had been turned against her. That had never happened before.

The mist of the wave finally began to thin and Water Lipper saw Tacha standing opposite of her, a silver sword with a heavily carved triangular hilt in her hand. The Felin's stunning green eyes were burning bright. "This time, its personal." There was a low, growling rumble around them and a huge wall of water rose behind her slender form. "Surround!" Tacha cried and the wall of water crashed down around them, totally submerging them in water.

Water Lipper glanced quickly around her, looking for either one of her opponents but not seeing either one of them. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a sleek gray shape streaking towards her. Ichirou was charging straight at her, still in his wolf form, jaws open wide. Grimacing, Water Lipper launched another surge of water at him, but compared to the wolf's speed and agility, the wave was slow and clumsy. As the attack was about to make contact, Ichirou's form split into two separate wolves, taking Water Lipper totally by surprise. She tried desperately tried to counterattack, but the wolves proved to be too fast. Then she made her mistake. The two wolves began to circle around her, and as she watched one the other sank its fangs into her shoulder and hung on.

The fangs were painfully sharp as they dug deep into her flesh. Water Lipper grimaced as dark blood streamed from the wound, mixing with the water. She clawed at the wolf's body with her long claws, but the thick fur prevented her from doing any real injuries to Ichirou's skin.

Then she heard the voice from behind her: "Ichirou, break away!"

The wolf withdrew his fangs from Water Lipper and sprang away, trailing blood off of his jaws. Then she heard the voice of the Chinese Shinma once more. "Spines of the Dragon!" 

It suddenly felt as if Water Lipper was being torn apart by hundred of sharp claws. She wanted to cry out, but she could not utter a sound. The pain was excruciating; she felt as if her skin was being peeled away from her bones, strip by bloody strip. Then her very bones felt as if they were bending under whatever was assaulting her. Her mind was needled with pain, she could not think, could not breath…

And then it was all over, gone, as if it was never there to begin with. Water Lipper remained absolutely motionless, collecting her thoughts the recall what just happened. She looked down at her body and was amazed to see that, despite the one wound on her shoulder, she was in one whole piece. Both Ichirou, in his original form, and Tacha were standing before her, arms crossed in front of their chests.

Ichirou laughed. "How was that? My secret Split Fang Attack! I told you not to underestimate me! Now I'll finish you off!" 

Tacha cut him off when she put a hand on her shoulder. He looked up at her and she shook her head slowly. "We don't want to do that."

"We don't?"

"No." Tacha shot a cold look at Water Lipper. It felt as if the water surrounding her had frozen. "We're not like _them_. Let's just go. We've made out point here."

"Hold it, kids!" Water Lipper called after their retreating backs. "I warned you too! You are both just little brats!" With that she unleashed a wave that was more powerful than any of her other ones by ten fold. It hit the two Shinma with that much force. Ichirou cried out as the waves crashed into him and carried him out of the watery confinement that the battle had taken place in. 

Water Lipper was breathing heavily. The two Shinma had given her more than what she had bargained for. But them she saw another glimmer of silver. The Western Shinma gasped angrily. The Chinese Shinma was still standing.

"Huh." She snorted. "That was impressive, but I'm surprised that you would be dishonorable enough to attack someone after they've let you go. So, now that you've had your chance, it's my turn, now." Tacha suddenly turned the sword point-down and jammed into the water. The sword began to melt into the element itself, sinking into the water that surrounded them.

Tacha closed her eyes and slowly began to raise her hands above her head. A faint blue aura surrounded her and Water Lipper felt the stirrings of an awesome power around her, like that she had never felt before. Not even her masters had this much power in their veins. Then, softly, Tacha began to chant. 

__

"Oh great God of our water, lend my thy power. Behold thy spine that reach for the clouds that calls upon thy hurricanes and hooves that stir the very movements of thy oceans. It is thou, thy king of the waves, that art my true master. Surround me with thy waters and allow me to channel thy power! Seadra Wave!"

The entire confinement of water churned and thrashed violently. Water Lipper saw the world spin wildly as if felt as if her powers were being ripped from her very soul. The water all around them rose behind Tacha in a spinning waterspout of massive proportions, and then it began to…change, to take on the form of some anime. A head grew from the very top of the twisting tower of water, followed then by a neck and torso and finally legs that ended in hooves. Spines erupted from its back and moved all the way down its tail. It was a horse…a giant horse made of water. And yet, it was not a horse. Where the hindquarters should have been was the tail of a fish. 

The giant animal looked down at Water Lipper, its eyes blazing a fiery blue, the only type of blue that could be seen at the depths of an ocean. Tacha stood below it, her aura looking like the same blue fire of its eyes. And then her hand moved, pointing towards Water Lipper.

With a wild scream the monster lunged for Water Lipper, diving straight at her. Water Lipper could do nothing more than cover up her face with her hands as a futile attempt to block the blow and scream as the spell plowed into her. The spell that the Chinese Shinma had used before was a tickle compared to this. This…Seadra Wave did not tear her apart by pieces. It tore her apart within the space of a heartbeat. Then everything went black.

Conciseness returned slowly. Water Lipper felt as if she was swimming. Every inch of her body hurt; all of her skin felt bruised, all bones broken, her head and the back of her eyes pounding. She was in pain, but she was alive. Shakily, slowly, she pushed herself up to her arms and looked around her, the bones and muscles of her neck straining and groaning in protest. Everything was blurry, hard to see, but she able to make out the figure of the Chinese Shinma. She was sitting opposite of Water Lipper, legs and arms crossed with her sword, returned to her original state, lying across her lap. "You…did not kill me?" Even her voice hurt. "You…"

"Could have torn apart a mountain with that attack." Tacha said. "But I had to hold back. I would not have killed you. Unlike some Shinma I know, I value my honor." Her voice was very bitter. 

"But I had been defeated." Water Lipper tried to hiss. "I would have rather died than…" She stopped suddenly and looked up, looking past Tacha's head. She gasped angrily. "Who are you?"

A very cold, disturbing vibration made Tacha shudder violently. There was someone else here, in the watery confinement that the battle had taken place in. She jumped to her feet and turned around, only to see the outlines of three figures. _They…they possess the same feeling that I felt earlier, before I battled with the Western Shinma! These things…are not Shinma._ "Identify yourselves! You do not belong here!" Tacha yelled up at them. 

The figures did not move right away. One of them, dressed in white, looked down at her, very slowly. Tacha shuddered. They had no faces, like the one that they had met in the forest. "Silence, child." It said in an icy voice. It waved its hand and Tacha felt as if she had been punched in the stomach by an iron fist. All the wind was knocked from her lungs as she was flung backwards, stars flashing before her eyes. With a stinging slap she hit the wall of water and felt herself flying through the air but could not seem to move her body to brace for impact.

She did hit something, but not the ground. Tacha had collided with someone, and as soon as she was able to collect her senses she saw that she had hit Verde, who had still been waiting on the shore, knocking him over and sending them both tumbling back a good couple of feet. "Tacha!" He exclaimed in surprise. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

"Th-there's something in there! Three of them! Verde, they're not Shinma!" She looked around them urgently, leaping to her feet again. "Where's Ichirou?"

"We saw them go into there," her friend explained, pointing to the dome of water. "But they were too fast for us to see what they were. Ichirou went around, he said he would try to take care of them…"

"He _what?"_ The hair at the back of Tacha's neck stood on end as she felt the stirring of a great energy attack, the type that Ichirou usually used. She looked around for him frantically before she was able to pinpoint his location. The young Japanese Shinma was standing on the branch of a tree near the riverbank, collecting his powers for a final, powerful blow. "Ichirou, no! Water Lipper's still in there! STOP!"

It was too late. "_KIBASHIRI!"_

* * *

Water Lipper looked up at the intruders. They were strong; powerful enough to deliver a powerful enough blow to the cat-girl to knock her aside as if she was a rag doll. Now they were only staring at her, as if judging her, and not in a friendly sense. 

Something burst through the top of the watery dome so suddenly that is made her jump and caught her totally off guard. The attack was a massive wave of energy that had jaws similar to that of a wolf. This was Ichirou's Running Fang attack, the same he used on her earlier, but this one was much more powerful. Had she not been distracted by the three new faces, she might have been able to block that one blow, but it was joined by three others. These strangers had unleashed attacks of their own made of a dark, deadly power. There was no chance to block.

The three attacks hit her and, unlike Tacha's attacks, which had been merciful, these did hurt her. Pain lanced through her body and an alarming amount of blood was released into the water, turning to world red. Water Lipper was numb and blinded by the pain as she pitched forward, coughing violently as yet more blood poured from her mouth. _No!_ She thought urgently. _It will not end like this! _"I refuse to die like this!" With the remaining of her strength, she summoned up one final wave, one that her masters warned her about using on a normal basis but more as a mean of a last resource. The dome of water burst, its water collecting into a powerful waterspout that exploded in all directions, but it was useless. Her attackers had merely stepped out of the way, diverting her most powerful attack as if batting away a fly. With a whimper that carried away the last of her hope, the once proud Western Shinma collapsed.

* * *

"Gods all mighty!" Verde cursed as he and Tacha picked themselves back up and surveying the damage around them. "What the hell was that?" Tacha looked around her, wiping her hair from her eyes. That attack was Water Lipper's, unleashed just as blood bubbled to the surface of the water. "Ichirou…you didn't hurt her too badly did you?"

"I was aiming for the others!" Ichirou said as he tried to free himself the tree branch. The force of the wave had knocked him off his perch, tore the tree from the ground by its roots, and thrown Ichirou into another tree, tangling him around its higher branches. "I don't know what happened!"

"It wasn't just Ichirou." Tacha said. "Those thing…I think that they attacked Water Lipper at the same time. Let's go, Verde."

"Go? Go where?"

"We have to save her."

"What?" Verde shouted, loud enough to send a flock of birds squawking out the trees that had not been hit by the wave. "Help a Western Shinma? Did something get knocked loose in there when you hit the ground?" He knocked on Tacha's head with a fist lightly, but Tacha's face remained serious and a little sad.

"Verde, we have to save her. On our honor. She doesn't deserve to die like this."

Verde held a hard glare at his friend, but Tacha glared right back, her green eyes blazing dangerously. He sighed; there was no way he was going to win this, and they were running out of time. "All right…if you say so." Tacha nodded curtly and the two Chinese Shinma Felines ran towards the water, blood drifting on its surface as it was carried away to the lower Layers of the Japanese Shinma Realm.

* * *

"Who the hell…are all of you?" Water Lipper gurgled weakly as she reached up a hand feebly. All three attackers were looking down at her, their horrible featureless faces glaring at her pathetic, bleeding form. 

The monstrous creature with the golden mark on it face laughed cruelly. "You fool, Water Lipper."

"That last blow would have annihilated that kid!" A second creature with a black hood and heavy shoulder armor said. "Which was stupid! He was our only lead to Yui!"

"Why did…" Water Lipper began weakly, tears leaking from her eyes. "Occidental Shinma…have to…kill me?"

"YOU!" Someone shouted from behind. "MURDERERS!" The three new figures turned to only be met by a massive surge of water that flattened itself to a huge blade. They appeared to be caught off guard, but the attack dissolved just as it was about to slice all of them in half. They growled as they looked onto the newcomers; two Chinese Shinma, a male and a female, the exact same girl that they had knocked out of the way before the assault on the hapless Western Shinma. "Just what the hell do you think you're doing attacking someone without proposing the appropriate challenge?" The girl shouted, holding her silver sword out before her. The male drew his sword as well, a huge broadsword with a blade that had a serrated edge. Dangerous fire filled both of their cat-like eyes.

The attacker with a white hood only snorted at them. "We have no more business here. Come, we have wasted enough time." And they were gone in a flash of energy.

"What…were they?" Verde asked, lowering his weapon.

"It doesn't matter now. Verde, help me out. She doesn't look too good." Tacha was bending over Water Lipper, who was still bleeding heavily. Verde looked a little disgusted, but nonetheless picked up Water Lipper and turned to move towards the shore.

Water Lipper tried to speak, and even though Tacha tried to shush her so she could save her strength she still mumbled; "They were…part of us…Occidental Shinma…"

"Put her here, Verde." Tacha said, jogging over to a small pool of water that flowed off from the river. "Her element might help in the healing process. And this…" She reached into her outfit and pulled out a small red vile that Kia had given her and pulled out the cork with her teeth. She sniffed the contents briefly, then tipped the bottle over and emptied it into the pond. A faint smell of what appeared to be lavender and ylang-ylang and a few other herbs from their own world filled the surrounding air. "I don't know what we're going to do if either one of us gets hurt later, but right now she needs it more than we do."

"What is she blabbering about?" Verde snorted as he lied Water Lipper down into the water. "What does she mean they were Western Shinma? What else would they be?"

"Anything but Shinma, Verde." Tacha said, sounded very worried. "This is beginning to look really bad." The Chinese Shinma looked back at Water Lipper and brushed a long strand of hair from her face. The concoction that Kia had made up for them was apparently easing the pain, and the bleeding had slowed. "You stay here and rest. The potion should heal your wounds soon."

"Tacha, why are you so worried? She's only a Western Shinma." Verde half-growled.

"I feel sorry for her." Tacha replied. "Those things attacked her for no reason at all."

* * *

Lemunia ran in the direction that that last power surge had come from. There was no doubt about it; that had been Water Lipper's magic, but there was something else, something that he could not put his finger on exactly. The river…that was where he would most likely find here. But as he drew nearer, he smelt something other than the salty sea air. He smelt…blood, and Western Shinma blood at that. Water Lipper was in trouble.

There were two figures in the distance, bent over something. Lemunia slowed his pace, ducking behind a tree trunk then moving from tree to tree to get a better look at what he was looking at. It was two of the Chinese Shinma, that pretty cat girl and one that he had not seen yet. Gods, there were more of them here? And they were crouched over…Water Lipper, who was heavily bleeding and looked in very bad shape. Suddenly the two Chinese Shinma looked more like huge wildcats bent over a kill. Nausea took Lemunia immediately and he had he clamp a hand to his mouth to keep from vomiting. There was nothing more he could do for his comrade, or he would be killed too.

"Please forgive me, Water Lipper." He whispered, and ran back in the same direction he came from.

* * *

"So what did she mean coming back to take their revenge?" Ichirou asked as they walked away from the battle, all still sopping wet. They had left Water Lipper in that puddle of water, hoping that she would be safe until her strength returned to her.

"It's a little different situation than from what Water Lipper spoke of." Tacha said. "From the old Shinma Wars. The grudge that was still held was not one that a side may hold when they were defeated. It was a grudge born of humiliation. As you've probably already known, we were fighting against the Quarls, a race of devils that used the Western Shinma to start a war. Once they realized that they were being used, they tried to drive the Quarls back to their own realm, but somehow it got over here. The humiliation of it was what the Western Shinma weren't able to do in six months the Japanese Shinma did in three days. The Quarls never got any further than the First Layer. They held them off for the first two days, killing a good deal of them then, they Kyuko stepped in and finished the job."

"And that's why they're mad, because we showed them up?" Ichirou asked. Tacha nodded. Then the werewolf frowned. "But it didn't come out to be a happy ending, did it?"

"No." Verde said. "The price of victory was Kyuko's life. She was probably one of the greatest respected vampires to ever walk this existence."

"Well," Ichirou said with a laugh. "That only shows that the Japanese Shinma kick total ass! Are you guys coming along to find Yui with me?"

"No, we're going back to the Fourth Layer. I'm sure Mori has her hands full watching my sister and we were only sent to discourage Water Lipper from getting any further." Tacha answered. "Good luck, Ichirou. Get Yui to Mori safely; Miyu's life depends on it."

* * *

"What do we do now…" Gigi hissed from the trees, watching the Shinma part their ways. "Do you kill Water Lipper…?"

"No." Gio responded. "We have no more concern with her. She will not bother us. Now, what do we do about Lemunia?"

"Just let him pursue that other kid." Gia said. "Hopefully he'll get to Yui the same time we do!" Vile laughter filled the air.

* * *

"I have to get out of here." Ichirou said to himself when Tacha and Verde disappeared into the forest. With a sudden burst of energy, Ichirou leapt to his feet and took off into the forest in the opposite direction at a dead run. 

"Here I come!"


	13. A Gentle Heart

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

A Gentle Heart

The ship creaked softly on the surf, a very gentle, lulling sound that the average sailor found as comforting as the sounds of songbirds outside a lord's manner. But Pazusu did not pay it any heed. There were too many other important issues to be thinking about for the time being. 

The Quarl had returned…or at least showing signs of returned. Cait Sith was the last of their Clan, everybody knew that…but the things that left the ship were definitely not Shinma. The only candle that remained burning was down to its last hour, the small flame casting eerie shadows and dark shapes around the main parlor of the Western Ghost ship. Carlua still slept on the couch beside his chair, her nightmares finally leaving her and leaving nothing more than a soothing healing sleep that would help her regain her strength. Everyone was still gone from the ship…except for Night Gia, of course. He was still in his cabin, once calm but now every nerve on end since the Chinese Shinma had reappeared on the ship and left the message burnt into the wall.

__

A traitor lies among you. Be wary.

"Could the Quarl be at it again? Can Caial have returned?" No, that was impossible. Their Queen had disappeared with the rest of the Clan. "After all, the war has ended…"

__

Or had it…?

* * *

The Quarl shall become the leader of all Shinma…

"Let's go! We must fight to rule all Shinma! Join us, Pazusu?" Caial's voice was silky smooth but dripped with venom. Even in this world, a world alien to their Clan, she still wore her native clothing; a shoulder-less white dress adorned with chains around her waist and a turban-like cloth wrapped around her head, keeping her long dark hair back. The white was a striking contrast against her naturally dark skin. "Or don't you want to join us?"

Pazusu did not answer. Most of the times, not answering at all was better than any answer among these people. 

"Very well then… Just stay here and baby-sit! Larva and Carlua were such good kids. We shall fight together some other time.

Watch out for the Quarl…

Those were Count Rall's last words to me…_ Pazusu thought as he watch Caial sweep gracefully out of the room. According to Rall, it was she would killed him, which made him trust her even less now. _I never trusted the Quarl, I just obeyed them. I didn't want to cause any conflicts…And my friend, the Count, uncovered some plot, so they killed him.

Of course, after the war, all of the Quarl had been killed by the other Clans of Shinma who were also pulled in…mostly by the Japanese Shinma and their Chinese allies. Although the Queen's son, Cait Sith is still alive. He is strong, like his mother, but what a poor boy! When the Quarl disappeared from the face of the earth the only one remaining, Cait Sith, joined the Western Shinma Clan.

* * *

"Cait Sith…whose vibration am I sensing? What is this ominous feeling? Why do I feel so anxious?" It was not a new feeling. It had been sensed, once, a very long time ago, but the memory was misty and just out of reach of his mind. Pazusu strained, trying desperately to remember…

Then it all came back in a flash. "This is like, that first time!"

__

* * *

"You're going to Japan?"

"Yes."

The room was dark, one of the few sources of light coming from the candle that Larva was holding. Carlua was finally asleep, after a terrible battle of wanting to stay up longer, and Pazusu did not want to wake her up again. Then she would never fall back asleep. "But why Larva?"

Larva turned away from the large window, the candle illuminating his young, handsome features. "Well, I've heard that the Japanese Shinma are formidable foes. I want to test myself by fighting against them."

Pazusu sighed. Chances were, this idea did not enter his foster son's head by itself. "Who told you this story?"

"It was Cait Sith, master." Pazusu had expected the worse, and this was it. "He said his Clan was destroyed by the Japanese Shinma too, and he wants his revenge…"

Pazusu massaged his temples. "Cait Sith…will he go with you?" Larva was silent before he answered.

"No…not this time…" Larva began uncertainty. His master was not facing him, and that was usually not a good sign. "Lemures and I will scout it out first, then the rest will join us later." He was cut off shout when Pazusu slammed his hand down on the table, making the vase on top of it rattle to the point of nearly tipping over. 

It was just like the Quarl…Cait Sith had not learned from his mother's mistakes. Using others to do the hardest part of the job, then crossing over their corpses when the worst was over. "Why are you doing this, Larva?" Pazusu asked, turning slowly to look at the younger man.

Larva seemed to be at last a loss of words. "Master…well…"

"We want to test our strength, Master Pazusu." A new voice coming from the other side of the room said, as if on cue. Larva turned to see his best friend Lemures leaning casually against the tall doorframe. "You simply want to test your power, right, Larva?" Larva had to be grateful to his friend. He always had to knack of getting Larva out of spots of trouble, when it was usually Larva talking for himself, Lemures and Spartoi whenever the unfortunate happened to get into their path. That seemed to happen a lot to that particular group of friends. "Is that wrong, Master?" Lemures strode up to Larva and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm going with him and we don't intend to fight, so don't worry!"

This ominous feeling_…Pazusu still did not like the idea of the two boys venturing to Japan, alone, where their kind was hated and usually killed on sight. But he was past talking them out of it. It was a lost battle._

Soon, Larva left for Japan…

He never came back…

Carlua would frequently ask Pazusu where her older cousin was who had been raised like her own brother. Sometimes she would question as often as every day. For a while Pazusu would tell her that he would be home soon, very soon…but it soon got to the point where he stopped answering all together. 

Thus, we took a voyage when we could wait no longer. Some of those who came are here for revenge, such as Water Lipper and Cait Sith…Amy, Spartoi and Night Gia are here to test their strength. Lemunia came because he saw it as a chance to find his brother, who also never came back from the east…and Carlua and I came to release Larva from Miyu's control.

* * *

"Could it be possible that Miyu has some hold over him…" Pazusu shook his head. He needed to sleep. "The surgery was a success…this can't be!" But how much longer could they stand? Mori, the Elders, the Chinese Shinma were all involved, and Yui of the Shi Clan could bring Miyu back to life. Amy and Water Lipper…something had happened to them. They were not dead, but perhaps very close to death. 

"A mistake…" Pazusu said. "What have we done?"

* * *

Ichirou continued to run at a break-neck pace through the forests. He had been running for the last hour, ever since he had left Tacha and Verde in their fight against the Western Shinma Water Lipper, looking for Yui. So far, he had been unfortunate. But then there was something new; a new scent rolled through the air and hit his sensitive nose. "That doesn't smell like one of us…" He said to himself. It was a good sign. Yui was not Shinma, not like him. "It's Yui! She gotta be close!"

* * *

"What is this feeling?" Gia hissed. It had been some time after they finished off Water Lipper-or tried to finish her off, in the least-and they had been following his Japanese Shinma, knowing that somehow they would be lead to Yui. "It's not Shinma…it's Yui!"

They took off immediately, following close behind Ichirou. Apparently the young Japanese Shinma was too absorbed in finding her as well as he did not realize that he was being followed. "Looks like those derelicts got to Yui first." Another one of the Quarls hissed. 

Then there was another pulse of power as they crossed paths with another Shinma heading in the same direction. "Is that Lemunia ahead?" Gigi rasped.

"Forget about him!" Gia snapped. "We'll get to Yui faster!"

"Very well…" The other agreed as they rushed past Lemunia so fast that he could not even see them.

* * *

"What was that?" Lemunia asked as he lowered his arms after the wind died. It was a wind; but then again, it was not…it was defiantly something living. It felt familiar… "Western Shinma? Were they…Western Shinma?" Without hesitation, he too ran off in the direction where the strangers went to.

* * *

"For crying out loud!" Nagi cried in frustration. "Where the hell are we? Haven't these people ever heard of road signs? How are were supposed to know where we're going? Aren't you supposed to know, Yui?"

"Nagi, you're really not helping." Yui said back patiently. For as much as she loved Nagi, sometime him impatience was a little frustrating, especially in a world like this. Miyu's voice still called her, she was sure they were going to right way, but this world seemed so huge, as if for every step they took forward the entire realm grew another ten feet.

Suddenly Nagi stopped, ridged, as if he had heard or seen something. "Yui, stay behind me. There's something in the air…Something is running towards us!"

"Shinma?" Yui asked. "It must be Shinma!" What else could it be?

Out of the light mist that covered the forest floor and wrapped around the trees, a small shadowy figure was running at them at an incredible speed. "Hey!" It called ahead of them. It sounded no older than a child. "Are you Yui? You're Yui, right?" It did look like a boy of perhaps twelve with large pointed ears sticking out among a wild mane of black hair. 

"Uh, yes, I am!" Yui began uncertainly. This boy seemed friendly, but Nagi was not taking any chances. He immediately put himself between his vampire and the approaching Shinma.

"I'm Ichirou from the Japanese Shinma!" Ichirou introduced himself as if Nagi was not even there. 

"Um…what do you want, Mr. Ichirou?" Yui asked carefully.

"I came here to take you to Miyu!"

"Miyu!?" Yui's eyes lit up at the sound of the name as she poked her head out from behind Nagi's back.

"Yeah! Miyu was attacked by the Western Shinma. We need your blood to bring her back to life! Me and my friends, who I see already found you!"

"My blood?" Yui repeated. "Western Shinma? And…your friends?" Yui looked behind her and saw a small red vixen-fox and a white wolf the size of a small pony sitting on the path behind them, tails wrapped around their legs. "Ah…those are…" The two animals changed before her eyes, turning into two human-like features while retaining some of their animal characteristics…they were the same ones that they had met earlier that day, when they first arrived in the Japanese Shinma Realm.

"You!" Nagi exclaimed as he recognized Yoto and Kitsune. "What are you doing here? I told you to not follow us!"

"And you expected us to listen?" Kitsune jeered back. "If we did not follow you and you were attacked by a Western Shinma, you would not have lasted for five minutes without our aid!"

"And why would we need help from a couple of mangy wolves? You said yourselves that you are not even from this Realm!" The Shi snapped, taking a bold step forward."

"I'm a fox!" Kitsune snapped right back.

Ichirou, ignoring the bickering between the two sides, reached out for Yui's hand, but Nagi promptly moved to block it. "Come on, Yui! Let's go! Miyu's waiting for you!"

"Hold it!" Nagi said, breaking off his argument with Kitsune. "Where do you think you're going? And what are you gonna do with Yui's blood?"

Ichirou frowned at Nagi, as if it was the first time he had even acknowledged that he was standing there. "And who might you be?" He asked snobbishly.

"Who am _I_?" Nagi burst out, as if it was some common fact that everyone should know.

"Well, it's rude to not introduce yourself!" The Japanese Shinma snorted smugly, crossing his arms and turning his head with his small nose up in the air.

Nagi's temper was on the breaking point and it looked at if he wanted to charge Ichirou and beat him to the ground right there. "Why, you…" he growled through gritted teeth, fists raised and a vein popping out on his forehead. Ichirou did not look in the least bit intimidated. Behind them, Yoto and Kitsune stood where they were and blinked in confusion. With a gasp, Yui rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Nagi's waist, holding him back.

"This is my precious Nagi!" Yui said quickly, hoping to break up the argument. "He is…" Nagi stopped struggling, looking at Yui over his shoulder. "He is my…my brother!" She finished in a rush.

With a sigh, Nagi seemed to give up. "Yeah…something like that…"

Ichirou only snorted again. "Yeah, so?"

__

What a punk! Nagi thought savagely as he glowered at Ichirou. Who ever said that the Japanese Shinma were so rude? "Yui! Don't do anything for these people!" He said, turning away and taking Yui by the hand.

"What?" Ichirou exclaimed angrily. "Why don't you butt out! It's not like I'm asking _you_ for anything, ya know!"

Nagi turned right back around, new rage flaring across his face. "How dare you say that! You little punk!"

"Punk?" The werewolf yelled right back. "I'm a Shinma, got it?"

Behind the fighting duo, Kitsune and Yoto looked at each other in disbelief. "Are they demons or junior high kids?" Kitsune asked flatly. Yoto shrugged, looking almost embarrassed that they had to witness the whole ordeal.

"Oh yeah?" Nagi shot back. "I'm a Shinma too! Only more prestigious!"

"Nagi, stop!" Yui cried desperately, pushing him back away from Ichirou. "Ichirou, take me to where Miyu is!"

All the rage in Ichirou's eyes seemed to evaporate immediately. "All right, Yui!"

"Yui!" Nagi exclaimed, as if amazed that she had said such a thing.

"Miyu's blood is calling me!" Yui said right back, sounding as if she was nearly in tears. She looked up at Nagi with a look that he had never seen before. A look of deep concern, of intense worrying, but at the same time her eyes burned with an intensity of knowing that this had to be done and she was the only one who could do it. "Miyu is in me, she is me!" Nagi had heard this story before, of Miyu's words to Yui when Yui had first learned of her vampiric nature.

__

Yui…is my little sister…my daughter…and me!

Slowly, uncertainly, Nagi nodded. Ichirou and the Chinese Shinma all heaved a sigh of relief at the same time.

There was a shock; a wave of energy that rolled across the air, as unmissed as if a stampede of cattle the size of elephants had charged through the area. "What was that?" Yui asked uncertainly. 

The air rippled, churned, and three dark, unknown figures leapt among the trees. "It's the enemy!" Ichirou hissed, looking around the area of the intruders, who had disappeared at the moment.

"Ichirou…who is the enemy?" Yui asked quietly.

"The Western Shinma!" Ichirou shouted. Now Yoto and Kitsune were completely on their guard, their swords drawn. Kitsune's was a long broadsword with the end shaped like a shade and Yoto's was a long rapier with a demon at the hilt. "They are the enemy!"

From out of the trees emerged three human-like creatures, all wearing armor and heavy cloaks and hoods. Their faces…Yui shivered. They had no faces. Dry laughter filled the area. "Hello, Yui." One of them hissed. It sounded like dry bones being grated upon.

"You life is ours!" said another. It sounded like a snake slithering through dead grass.

"You won't be reviving Miyu!" The last proclaimed. This one sounded like ice crumbling onto a white-hot surface.

__

They are…Shinma? Yui wondered as she looked from one faceless figure to another. _What's going on? Why are Shinma fighting against each other?_

Kitsune glared at the newcomers. "They are…like those things that were spying on us before!"

"Worse." Yoto said in a deep growl. "They're not even Shinma."

Behind them, Ichirou laughed softly. The aura of anticipation for an upcoming battle had surrounded him faintly. "Hey Nagi, are you man enough to fight?"

"Don't worry about me!" Nagi yelled. "I'll destroy anyone who tries to come after Yui!"

Yui took a deep breath, but she stepped forward too. She had to be brave, for Miyu's sake. "I will fight to!"

"And we got your backs!" Kitsune declared as the deadly blades of their swords were raised into the air.

"All right, you guys!" Ichirou laughed. He actually seemed excited they there was going to be a fight, and Yoto already knew that these things- whatever they were- would show them no mercy. The big Chinese Shinma sighed. The little fool.

"Stop wasting our time, kids!" The three figures hissed. It felt as if long fingernails had scraped down their spines.

"How dare you call me a kid!" Nagi growled. "You Shinma never have any manners!"

The fox-girl harrumphed at him. "Really, Nagi, this isn't any time to be concerned about your pride."

The figure in the white hood snorted. "We will destroy you in one second, boy!" A pale hand rose into the air and they all felt the stirring of some great power.

"STOP!"

The tall bushes behind them rustled as a new face burst out from it. It was a boy of perhaps thirteen or fourteen, give or take, his long black hair curly and his eyes were bright blue. "Stop!" He repeated. "I demand that you identify yourselves!" At his arrival Yoto and Kitsune wiped around, their swords poised. At the sight of them Lemunia jumped back, but with a sigh of relief Yoto and Kitsune lowered them again.

"Jeez, kid, don't do that unless you want to be breathing through a new hole in your neck." Kitsune snorted.

At any other time, Lemunia might have been put off at the sight of the two Chinese Shinma. One was a pretty fox-girl that he had not seen before and that really tall one who had nearly head and shoulders over Spartoi, but there was something of more importance at stake right now. Instead he walked past them- not a very easy thing to do- to put himself between Yui and the three new arrivals other than himself. "These people are mine!" He declared, as if he were claiming right over some inanimate objects.

"I'd advise that you stop bothering us, Lemunia." The one in the white hood said. Lemunia shivered at the sound of his voice as if long, sharp nails had been dragged slowly across a slate. "As one Western Shinma to another."

Lemunia blinked. "Western Shinma?" he repeated. They were not like any Shinma that he had ever seen.

Another one of them laughed dryly. "That's right, child!"

"What the…who are you? Are you…the ones that helped in killing Water Lipper? You helped those Chinese bastards kill Water Lipper!"

"What?" The large figure asked, obviously playing dumb. "Who is Water Lipper?"

"We don't know of her or of any Chinese Shinma!"

Lemunia was rendered speechless. He only ground his teeth at them before ultimately turning away. "Enough of this!" He snapped. "I'm taking Yui's life! Yui!" He swung around to face the vampire Shi-princess. "I'm Lemunia of the Occidental Shinma! And I'm going to kill you!"

For a moment, Yui was not sure what to say. This…Occidental Shinma wanted to kill her, but why? What for? She opened her mouth to ask him, but something else caught her attention before she could get a word out. "Lemunia! Behind you!"

The warning came too late. When he turned around to see what Yui was screaming about, three massive surges of power shot down from up above and striking Lemunia's body. Blood splashed everywhere.

__

Why…me?

With a moan, Lemunia collapsed to his knees, the blood from the massive wound on his torso splattering on the ground all around him.

__

Why…? Western Shinma…

"Hey…" Ichirou sounded as confused as they all felt. These new creatures- Western Shinma, as they had called themselves- had just attacked Lemunia, who was also a fellow Western Shinma. Now their young enemy was lying in a crumpled, bleeding heap on the ground at his own attacker's feet. "What's going on here? Weren't they all on the same side? Aren't they all…Western Shinma?"

Clenching his hands into fists and gritting his teeth against the pain, Lemunia did his best to push himself up to his hands and knees. "Who…the hell…" He panted in between ragged breaths. "Are all of you?!"

The three towering figures only laughed. It sounded as if they were enjoying watching him in his present state. "We are the four generals of Quarl! We are here under Master Cait Sith's orders! Understand, boy?"

Lemunia blinked again, wondering if her had heard right. "C-Cait Sith? You mean he betrayed us?"

"You fool!" The one in the white hood hissed. "Betraying you? We Quarl are the elite demon Clan that stand above all other Shinma in every Realm!"

The hulking one in the black cloak bent down to make Lemunia look up at them. "You only exist to fight for the revival of the Quarl Clan!" With a sneer- it would have been a sneer if he had a mouth- he released Lemunia's chin who returned to a collapsed form on the ground.

"Damn…" He cursed in a wheezy voice. "Damn you…Cait Sith, who could you do this to us?"

"Are you suffering, Lemunia?" The Quarl with the heavy shoulder armor asked. "We'll put you out of your misery."

"Now's our chance!" Nagi said quietly, behind the backs of the Quarl. "They're so occupied with him that they've forgotten about us! We can either attack or…"

"I feel sorry for that boy…" Yui said softly, a look of sadness on her face.

"What in the world for?" Nagi asked in disbelief.

"It's cruel the way he's being treated by his own comrades…"

"I don't think that they are his true comrades." Yoto said gravely. It was the first time he spoke since they had first met. "If they are who they say they are, then I think that we finally know who the real enemy is."

"Anyway, we can't leave him alone. It would be wrong. Besides, he's probably too young to be born during the Shinma Wars, so he doesn't deserve to die at their hands." The red-haired Shinma said.

Nagi sighed, but again in the fashion that he knew he knew he was not going to win this argument either. "Hey, we have no time for sympathy… Anyway, what do you think we should do, little boy?"

"My name is Ichirou!" The Japanese Shinma corrected him, stepping forward. "And of course we have to attack them, 'cause they'll catch us if we just try to run away! But, you _want_ to run away, right?"

"Stop messing around!" Nagi snapped. "I don't like these guys one bit…and what about you?" He turned to the Chinese Shinma. "What about you two? Do you feel up to this or not?"

"I feel as if we have no choice." Yoto said. "We've been pulled in too far to turn back now."

"Okay then! Let's go!"

Something began to float through the air before they had a chance to attack; small, long and soft-looking objects that drifted along the breeze. There were…feathers? Black feathers? Apparently originating from where Lemunia was kneeling on the ground. Then he looked up and smiled. The feathers instantly picked up speed from floating almost lazily to being caught in high velocity winds, being driven to pommel the Quarl, who raised their arms to block them from their faces. "I am not…GOING OUT QUIETLY!" The Western Shinma shouted at the top of his lungs, sending the feathers flying like missiles.

"What?" The Quarls growled in fury. "How dare you? Just DIE!"

"Now's our chance!" Nagi yelled over the howl of the projectile feathers. Some type of symbol appeared on his forehead, probably originating from his original Clan, as he began to summon up his powers. Ichirou and Kitsune concentrated their powers as well, wanting to finish this off quickly, in one blast.

"ATTACK!"

Nagi and Ichirou unleashed their attacks at the same time, a massive column of energy that ran parallel to the ground. At the same time also Kitsune moved her hands so one was on top of the other, palms facing inwards to each other. "Terror Force!" She cried and the illusion spell shot forward with the force of being fired from a gun, condensing into high-speed bullets that traveled along with Nagi and Ichirou's attack. One of them strayed and was spent hurtling into a tree, and in a spray of bark and leaves the tree was split completely in half with a large smoking hole in the middle of the trunk. The wave of power gorged the earth, creating a deep trench ten feet wide. The Quarl were just barely able to jump out of the way as the attack blasted into the forest, eliminating trees to the touch. A deafening roar filled the world and smoke blinded their vision.

"Did we get them? Nagi asked and the roar finally tapered off and died.

"We did it!" Ichirou cheered.

Yui, however, knew otherwise. With the vampire's blood flowing through her veins, she was able to detect things that the others could not. "No, not yet!" She said and raised her hand into the air, summoning up her own powers. Soft pink sakura blossoms began to rise slowly into the air, dancing and swirling around her on an unfelt wind. "Sakura dance…" She muttered gently. "With grace, embrace the enemy and suffocate them with your pedals! Go!" With a point from her finger, the wind picked up speed silently around her, scattering the sakura blossoms in all directions before they condensed down onto the Quarl.

It was then that the rest of their party saw the Quarls again, only shapeless figures through the clearing smoke, but they had to do nothing. Yui's sakura attack had completely surrounded them, paralyzing and stifling. 

"What…what is this attack?" The Quarl in white stammered. "Th-this attack…I c-can't move!"

Seeing an opening that even a blind man could not miss, it was Nagi and Yoto that ran forward. Their swords flashed, Nagi's curved _katana_ and Yoto's demon-hilted rapier. "Great job, Yui!" Nagi commended. He approached the white-clad Quarl and with a flash of the silvery blade, severed the demon's arm at the shoulder in a spray of black blood.

Instantly it seemed as if Yui's spell was broken, like a pricked bubble. Gia staggered, grabbing up his severed arm from the ground. "D-damn!" He growled. "Let's go! We have no other business here!"

"Not yet!" Yoto said. "Kitsune, keep them back." His fellow Wolfin nodded, grabbed Ichirou and Nagi by the scruffs of their necks and pulled them back to where Yui and an unconscious Lemunia were still laying. Yoto turned back to the retreating Quarl, holding his sword before him. Instantly the air seemed to chill, dropping about twenty degrees within the space of a heartbeat. White mist blanketed the ground and their breaths emerged as puffs of steam. Yoto raised the sword higher, and with a glimmered, the rapier became totally incased in ice. Then Yoto said softly "Razen Wind" and made a powerful slashing motion with the sword.

The ground before the Quarl exploded, or so it seemed. Rocks and dirt and uprooted trees were flung everywhere as huge spikes of ice jutted up from the ground. They were ten feet wide at the base and shot up twenty-five feet into the air, growing so quickly that anything in their path would have been totally obliterated. The ice rose before and behind their enemies and creating a trail a hundred feet long in both directions with a roar of thunder.

Then it was over, the thunder died and the ice stood still. Almost immediately the air began to warm up again and Yoto's ice attack began to melt sluggishly. "Wow…" Nagi said from behind. "That was…really something. Did you get them?"

Yoto shook his head. "No. They got away."

"Oh well…at least you tried. Yui? What's wrong, are you sick?"

"No…Yui mumbled as she fell into a half-slump in Nagi's arms. Her remaining sakura blossoms fell gently onto Lemunia's body.

* * *

With a sickening crunch that would have made the strongest of mortal's stomach heave, Gia reattached his arm back to the spot it had been severed, feeling bone, muscle and tissue fuse together like new. "Damn!" He spat in disgust. "He cut off my arm! I do not believe it!" Gia and the other Quarls had fled from the scene of battle just before they were nearly impaled by the ice that fountained up from the ground just behind them. A little tired from the fight, they had taken shelter next to a lake, where the scent of any Shinma could not be detected for miles in all directions. He had not excepted any of them to be that strong. But then he snorted, as if remembering something that he should have not. "They are Shi. They are the opposite of the Shinma…I should have known."

A thin sound rose to meet their ears; the gentle sound of soft laughter, drawing closer to them by the heartbeat. All three Shi whipped around in a mixture of confusion and fury, looking for the source of the sound. "Who's there?" They snapped. "Who is that? Where are you? Show yourself!"

A figure appeared over the lake, misty at first, but then becoming clearer. It was a man…or was it a woman? It was a little difficult to tell. His…her…_its_ hair was long, flowing and very pale, much like its skin, and the body showed no visible curves of a women but it still held a gracefully delicacy to it that men seldom possessed. The face was neither feminine nor masculine, but it defiantly possessed the angels that made it beautiful, maybe leaning more towards the beauty of a woman, the eyes tilted dangerously. It also was not a Japanese Shinma either. "You!" Gio hissed at the new person, what ever it was. "You are not Occidental Shinma…any Shinma for that matter! Tell us who you are!"

The figure only laughed again. "Well, pardon me!" It said sarcastically, only making their anger flare more. "My name is Shiki, and I am from the Shi Clan!"

"The Shi Clan?" The Quarl growled loud enough to draw some attention from anyone else who would been in earshot. They were all instantly on guard, poised and ready to attack.

Shiki only laughed, feeling no intimidation from the Quarls, regardless of what they could do to him. "However, I also…desire the death of Yui. So hear me out."

Gia cocked his head, still not sure if he should trust this…Shi, regardless of what his…or her…actual intentions were.

"Okay…we're listening."

* * *

It was not until he moved that he remembered the pain. Up until then, Lemunia felt incredibly at peace, the sort of relaxation that even the most minute of thought processes would disturb it. So instead of trying to remember what had happened or where he was or why he was in this condition in the first place he simply let his mind float through a world that seemed soft in all aspects. The only thing that he could recall relating it too was his mother's gentle hands that soothed him when he was an infant on those cold winter mornings before the chill took her away from him. His breathing was slow and easy, passive. Occasionally he thought that he smelt cherry blossoms, like the one in his home's immense garden, but these were…different. They carried with them a very old scent, almost ancient, that even though it was alien to him, soothed him as much as if he was in his own homeland.

Home. That was not where he was. Lemunia flinched as the first thought entered his once peaceful mind, stabbing at it like a spear. Slowly an unwanted consciousness began to crawl up, and no matter how much he wanted to push it back down or how hard he tried to, it would unwittingly creep back up on him. The worst part of it was that it was brining pain along with it. The good part about it was he knew now that he was not dead.

The next thing he became aware of was that he was not alone. In fact, there was someone taking care of him, the gentle hands that he felt in the world of peace gently moving over his body. Something tightened around his middle, brining up a brief wave of pain. Then he remembered. He had been attacked by some creatures…Quarl, where they? and had been injured doing so. Fatally injured. Then why was he not dead. With a flinch and a moan, he slowly opened his eyes and found himself looking into a pair of startling red ones, as gentle as her hands. It took a moment for him to put a name to her cute, heart-shaped face framed by soft brown hair. Then he remembered that as well; it was Yui, the Shi vampire princess. His enemy, who he had been sent to kill and would have done it if those bastards had not interfered. His enemy was…caring for him, tending to his wounds. What was going on? Was it some sort of trap?

"Stop that Yui!" Said an unseen male's voice somewhere above him. Lemunia barely recognized it as one of Yui's male companions. "He's the enemy! He was going to kill you earlier, remember?" Lemunia tried to say something in his defense, but only uttered a weak mewling noise. He hated himself at that moment for showing so much weakness in front of his enemies…in front of Japanese Shinma! He almost wished that he really were dead.

"Don't talk." Yui's voice was soothing, with no hint of hostility in it in the least. "Just relax. The cherry blossoms will ease your pain." Cherry blossoms…that scent that he caught when he was asleep. They were Japanese cherry blossoms, _sakura_ as they were called. That would explain the second scent.

"Are…you crazy or something?" Lemunia forced out. It hurt so much to talk… "I'm…I'm your enemy…why are you helping me?"

"Well, there's gratitude for you!" Came another new voice, another female. Now Lemunia forced himself to see the faces of those standing around him. It just was not Yui and her longhaired male companion. The werewolf boy was there as well, standing in the same tree that the male Shi was in, and just under them were the two Chinese Shinma. The red-haired fox girl was looking a little pissed of, a face that suited her comment well, and the tower of the wolf-like one looking off into the distance as if he were somewhere else entirely.

Yui only smiled, making him only more agitated. Not only had she dressed his wound-with the red sash that she wore around her shoulders, it seemed-but she had also removed his cloak and the white coat that she wore and was using it as a blanket for him! If the wound had not killed him, he was now expecting that the humiliation would. Master Pazusu would _never_ let him live this down! No one would! "I just can't leave someone wounded like this." She said patiently. "Besides…you can't move and can't fight us…so you're not my enemy now, right?" She smiled brightly, and it seemed as if a new sun was shining down from above. She had a real cute smile…it was much nicer than the rare ones that Carlua gave him. He had known Carlua most of his life, and Yui barely knew him! It made no sense!

"I'm…I'm a Western Shinma!" He yelled out in frustration. "I will attack you again!"

"And we're all proud of you for it!" Kitsune shot back.

Yui blinked, confused. "But...that wound…" She only grinning softly again and shook her head, not wanting to fight it. "Anyway, when you attack again, I'll just fight back! How does that sound?"

Her tone was so…playful, carefree. Unlike most of the girls he knew, who were all serious and incredibly stubborn. Yui was nothing like them. She was serious, he could sense it, but she was also taking it as if it were a game. Was she mocking him? He knew that normally he would be outraged, but it was a quality that he found…almost adorable. So instead of retorting back harshly, he only gave a small laugh and a weak smile himself. "Dammit!"

"By the way…" A new voice piped behind him. It was the Japanese werewolf, Ichirou. "Why are you fighting against each other, anyway?"

"I'm asking myself the same question!" Lemunia replied. Personally, he did not want to think about it. The issue was almost more confusing than Yui was being right now.

"Ha!" Nagi suddenly snorted. "That's what they call 'betrayal!' It's ridiculous, and pretty damn funny too!" Next to him, both Kitsune and Yoto gave a start, as if they could not comprehend what he just said. Yui had not taken well to him comment either.

"Nagi!" She scolded him. "Cut that out!"

"You're telling me what to do?" Nagi snapped back.

"You're being cruel! Besides…" Yui's voice grew soft and sounded a little mournful and sad. "You don't know what its like to be betrayed by your friends…" She trailed off, her jaw tightening and her eyes on the verge of becoming teary, as if she was trying to hold back a sob. 

Lemunia propped himself up on an elbow, looking at Yui was a feeling of concern in his heart that he did not think badly of. If her playful manner had touched him even a little, then her sudden sympathetic attitude touched him the rest of the way. Could she possibly know what it was like to be betrayed by someone? Lemunia suddenly found himself thinking of Yui far beyond an enemy. She was now almost like…a friend.

"Anyway…" Said a very, very deep voice. "It's a little hard to be betrayed by someone you never trusted in the first place." It was the really tall Chinese Shinma, still leaning against the tree and staring off into the distance. The others looked at him in confusing, questioning his words, but he only shook his head.

Ichirou was the first to stand up, breaking the uneasy feeling the talk of betrayal cast over the small group. "Let's get out of here! They will be back to attack us again soon!"

Yui nodded curtly. "Onto Miyu's place!" She agreed.

"Yeah." Nagi agreed also, sounding almost reluctant. "Let's do this."

Lemunia held up Yui's white coat. "Here, Yui. You might want to take this…"

"Oh, okay…" Yui took it from him and put it back on. It felt a little weird not having her red sash with her, but now it was being put to a very good use. "I've got to go now, Lemunia." Since it seemed as if those things were after her, then Lemunia was going to be in more danger had she stayed with him than if she left. Hopefully, he would be safe now.

"Come on, Yui!" Ichirou called, waving at her. He, Nagi and the two Chinese Shinma were already at the edge of the thick forest. "Hurry up!"

"All right!" She called back, trotting over to them. 

Lemunia bit his lip, wanting to say something as badly as he did not want to say it. But, then again, he may not see Yui again. "Hey…Yui!"

The Shi princess stopped in her tracks and turned around to face him. "What?"

An awkward silence hung in the air and the words that Lemunia wanted to say escaped his mind. "Oh…nothing…just go."

Yui blinked, cocking her head a little. "Okay…" Then the same bright smile crossed her face again. "But don't move for a while, Mr. Western Shinma! Goodbye Lemunia!" She called the last part over her shoulder as she disappeared into the forest to meet her companions.

When she was gone, Lemunia smiled as he remembered what he wanted to tell her.

__

Thanks…Yui.

* * *

They were not sure what time it was exactly, but it did not take long for them to catch up with their targets. The three Quarl were running at break-neck speed before them, dodging around trees as if they were not even there, but Yui and her party were hot on their trail. "There they are!" Ichirou shouted over the roar of the wind as they closed in to the point where he could smell them. 

"Those damn Western Shinma…" Nagi spat in response.

"Go on ahead, Yui!" Ichirou called. "Go straight there!" Yui looked at him, looking a little confused, but nodded.

"I'll meet you there, Yui." Nagi reassured her. He did not want to leave her alone, but this was the best way. "Be careful."

"I'll meet you there, too!" Ichirou said, flashing a peace sign to her. Kitsune winked at Yui, pointing a finger and making a few clicking sounds with her tongue. 

"All right." Yui agreed and turned sharply to the right, breaking away from her friends and running into the dark forest. The remaining Shinma, one Shi, one Japanese Shinma and two Chinese Shinma, all skidded to a halt and faced their opponents. They could no longer see them, but they knew that they had stopped running and were very close by.

"All right!" Ichirou said. "It's four against three! Try not to freak out too badly, Nagi!"

Nagi barked a laugh. "I can take on two of them! Do you think you can handle just one?"

"You bet! I can take on all three of them!"

"Oh, please!" Kitsune shouted from behind them. "It sounds like both of you are suffering from a major case of penis envy! Let's just get this over with and stop comparing how many we can fight, please!" Both of the Japanese Shinma turned and stared at her. Usually girls did not say that sort of thing! "What? Are you shocked at what I said? Penis, penis, penis!"

"All right, you made your point!" Nagi snapped back. 

In front of them it sounded as if something was very large was crashing through the forest. It was not one creature; it was all three of the Quarl, heading straight for them.

With a wicked smile, Nagi drew his curved _katana_ blade. "Let's do this!"

To be continued…


	14. Return of the Vampire

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

Return of the Vampire

Mori awoke with a start, but from what? The Fifth Layer was clam, unmoving, as it always was. The only sound to be heard was that of silence. Then the source was found when a familiar smell hit her nose. Blood, and extraordinary blood at that. Immediately the Elder stood up and looked to the platform that Miyu was laying on.

A heavy feeling of dread took hold of Mori's heart at a steady dripping sound that reached her ears. Blood had formed in a small pool around Miyu's torso and was running down a small crack in the platform and dripping steadily to the ground. The smell of that blood was more than familiar to her. It held the smell of something metallic, like all blood did, but it also smelt ancient, beyond ancient, and the scent of the air and earth after a raging firestorm. It was a trait only the vampire had. It was a scent that brought back bad memories.

OH, CHILD. Mori said as she watched Miyu. Over the course that Miyu had been here she would occasionally twist in pain and moan, but now she was as still and silent as the world around her. HOLD ON FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER. YOU ARE STRONG, YOUR KIND ALWAYS HAS BEEN. HELP IS COMING. JUST A LITTLE WHILE LONGER…

* * *

Yui continued to run, not sure exactly where she was going, but she was sure that the odd tugging at her veins was pulling her in the right direction. And the voice- Miyu's voice- still continued to chant softly in her mind. Only now there was a different emotion to it.

__

Miyu…Miyu, are you crying? I can feel your pain so clearly, but why are you so far away? She staggered momentarily. _I'm in pain…_ She did not notice the shadowy mist obscuring the path until she was surrounded by it. But even then Yui chose to ignore it. A very ghostly and very claming memory had clouded Yui's mind.

__

Yui…my little Yui…my darkling Yui… Gentle hands reached out to cup Yui's face, hands and arms so warm that Yui wanted to into them and not leave. They were Miyu's hands. _You finally woke up. I was waiting._ Miyu's smile, as haunting as it was mysterious, filled Yui's vision.

"She was waiting…" Tears brimmed Yui's eyes as she recalled the events of that night…Miyu and her companion, waiting for her on the steps of that old shrine, the vampire's hand held out to her. It seemed so real…Yui stepped off the trail to go to her…

"Yui!" A new voice tore through her mind, breaking the image of Miyu and her servant and Nagi replaced them. "Don't cry! I hate wimps!" He scolded her. "I'm with you, so don't ever be weak!"

Yui blinked and all the apparitions disappeared, the dark Japanese Spirit Realm forest standing where they just were. The faint calling continued, urging her to press on. "That's right; they will come for me. Nagi and Ichirou and the Chinese Shinma will definitely be here. I've got to hang in there! I am the only one who can save Miyu!"

Although Yui's memories were not gone, the fog that still blanketed the forest was not. She tried to ignore it, as thick as it was. The object that did catch her attention was one – no, two – figures in the fog, standing before her. "Who…" her footsteps slowed then stopped completely as the faces became clearer. Her eyes grew wide as they took in the features of two people she knew all too well.

"It's been a while, Yui." The young man said, smiling warmly at her. The young, equally attractive young woman standing at his side was smiling as well.

Yui felt as if her heart had stopped as they was nearly overwhelmed with a flood of memories that came from her past. From before she Awoke as a vampire. "Kyo.. Kyoko…Shoji…"

"Remember watching those cherry blossoms when they were in full bloom?" Kyoko asked softly. Yui did remember, sitting out under the _sakura_ orchard with her best friend, laughing and having a good time. "They were absolutely gorgeous! That was a time I will never forget!"

Unsure of what to say, Yui did not say anything back. _Was this real? Is this a hallucination that I see in front of me? What else could it be?_ The last time Yui had seen them was many, many years ago, shortly after she awoke, yet Shoji and Kyoko looked exactly the same as they did then.

"When I took the entrance exam that spring, your grandmother died." Shoji said, taking a step towards her. "Your cherry blossoms fell all over, as if they were your falling tears. And you disappeared into those leaves. Yui…" He reached up his hand and gently touched the side of Yui's face. "How come?"

__

No…this is reality…

"Why did you have to erase all of our memories too?" He inquired deeper.

__

His hand is so warm… Those hands began to call up memories, painful memories that Yui would rather them to remain hidden than to emerge.

"But I saw it!" Kyoko exclaimed. "A girl… sometimes I still see her in the garden, I see you just they way you were back then."

The last words were a real stab in the heart for Yui, She closed her eyes tightly but did not bother to hide the tears that fell from them. _The clock has stopped for me…_

"Don't cry, Yui." Shoji reassured her with a brief hug. "We're so happy to see you again. Yui, we have good news for you. Kyoko and I are going to get married!"

Yui smiled through her tears, although it was a small smile. _Of course, I already knew. He proposed to her at that cherry orchard. And although I was not able to say it back then…_ She swallowed hard. "Con…congratulations." She was finally able to whispered out. It had been more difficult than she thought. Even now Yui was not able to forget her secret affections for the older boy.

"Thank you, Yui." Shoji said.

"But, Yui…" There was a sudden chill to the air as Kyoko's tone of voice changed. "Are you really sincere about that?"

"What?" Yui asked, shocked. "Why do you asked that?"

"Because," Kyoko continued, her voice becoming even darker. "You had a crush on him, too. I knew about it." Yui staggered back, not believing she was hearing this. Kyoko had _never_ talked like that to her before!

"Say, Yui, why is it that you don't grow old? Is it because you aren't human?" Now Shoji's voice had taken on the same dangerous attitude as he advanced on her. Yui felt trapped.

"That's right!" Kyoko agreed. "You keep your youth by sucking human blood. Which means that you're a vampire! Us human's enemy!"

Suddenly the two people that Yui loved and grew up with changed into dark strangers with shadowed faces and cold eyes. The air became thick with danger as Shoji and Kyoko drew twin daggers from behind their backs.

* * *

The front parlor of the massive ghost ship was nearly completely dark, but Pazusu barely noticed and hardly cared. There were too many thoughts plaguing his mind. Thoughts and memories from a long time ago, from a past so distant that they seemed to be from a dream. These, however, were more like nightmares. Nightmares from the old Shinma Wars.

There were so many aspects of the war that stood out clearly in his mind that seemed to fit well into all the current situations happening now. He remembered vaguely three huge shapes charging headlong in the carnage of a raging battle. They were wolves, two snowy ones and one…no, two…night black ones, one of which was much larger than the others. Four wolves? Where did the fourth come from? And where was it now? He could have sworn that Mori was dead…but she was here, alive today…then that could mean that the wolf carcass that he saw was the other smaller black wolf. What in the seven hells was happening?

Another memory replaced the one of the wolves, this time accompanied by sounds. Amongst the screams and clashing of medal and that roar of the battle came a loud howling bellow that drowned out all other sounds. Something reared its head above the battlefield; a huge lizard-like creature with tusks that continued its howling, clawing at its face. From where its eyes were stood two thick arrow shafts protruding from the ragged flesh as blood flowed down its face.

A new memory replaced the one of the now-blinded creature. It was not more than a few hours after he had first set foot on the shores of the Japanese Shinma Realm that Pazusu found himself in a bit of trouble. He had made one foolish move and now he found himself cornered by three Quarls, all baring hooked swords and toothed axes just inches from his flesh. He stood his ground, but he did not make an attempt to reach for his own sword. A move like that would have been stupid; it was three against one, and his odds were slim. It was just his luck, too. Both Carlua and Larva had come into his care and he was stuck in a spot like this. While he was away in Japan both children were under the care of a friend who had two boys of his own, one that was Larva's age and the second who was even younger than Carlua.

It was the thought of the children that made Pazusu desperate to fight back although he did not know how he was going to do that. The second thought especially became urgent when one of the Quarls let out a horrible howl and attacked. Pazusu never even had a chance to respond as it crashed into him, the deadly blade missing his ear, knocking him to the ground. Stars flashed before his eyes and he feared than he would never see Larva or Carlua again when the Quarl was suddenly torn off of him by a pair of massive hands.

The Quarl was left hanging in the air, kicking and shrieking in its own tongue until its head was wrenched off by the same hands that held it. When the body was thrown aside Pazusu looked just in time to see the second Quarl burst into flames and the third impaled by a bladed quarterstaff and then decapitated by the swing of a huge broadsword. Five tall figures stood behind the ruined bodies, cloaks wrapped tightly around their dragon-scaled armor and dark scarves wrapped tightly around their heads and mouths. Beside the armor, their only features that Pazusu could remember seeing were their eyes; fierce yellow, fiery red and blazing green, wild from battle. They were not Western Shinma, not by a long shot, which mean that he had just been saved by Eastern Shinma.

One of the figures stepped forward and extended its hand. It was orange and scaly, the fingers long and the curved, deadly looking claws resembled talons. Pazusu took it, surprising himself, and the Eastern Shinma pulled him to his feet. "Get out of here." She hissed at him, her yellow eyes narrowed, and the five disappeared into the chaos of the war.

Then came the most terrifying vision of all, the one that stood out most and the most vivid in Pazusu's mind. It was the last day of the great Shinma war; in fact, it was the last few moments. He could remember watching it on a beach along with a hundred other Shinma from both the East and West. They were only a few dozen yards away from the smoking remains of a small fishing village that had once been the home to hundreds of Japanese Shinma that had no desire to become involved.

Two women stood facing each other, one of them a Quarl wearing a black dress with her hair tied into a high turban. The other was a Japanese Shinma, her long hair tied behind her at the base of her neck. She was wearing what resembled the red and white robes of a priestess splattered with dark red blood, the same that was on the Quarl's hand. Her ribcage just under her breast had been crushed with a single blow, which she clutched at now in silent pain. Not more than a few feet away from her lay the body of a man in a pool of blood. A young man was crouching beside him. Tears streamed down his face as he called to his father, but it was already too late. Beyond the scene of the standoff was a massive black wolf who, even for a wolf, was looking very sad. Had she been human, she probably would have been crying. Beside her were to five Eastern Shinma had had helped him with the Quarl just a few days ago. One was clutching his left eye.

The dark blue, black and purple clouds in the sky began to churn more violently and the air crackled with an evil power as the Quarl charged for the Japanese Shinma, ready to finish what she began. The other woman did not move, did not even flinch. Instead she raised her longbow, the last arrow drawn all the way back to her ear, and fired.

Pazusu awoke with a start, breaking his own concentration. With a sigh he let his head fall back again, trying to control his breathing. Damn, he could never remember past that part, not did he want to. It had taken him too many years to try to block out those past events. The way always brought back bad memories, but it seemed that every single one played into what was happening now. Pazusu was not stupid so he was able to identify a few of them. The creature that had both of its eyes put out by enemy arrows could only be Mukashi. The five mysterious Eastern Shinma who had helped him might as well be the Chinese Shinma here now. Did they recognize him? It they did, then they probably would not be acting the way they did towards him.

But the women…the Quarl could only be Caial, who was said to had been killed during the war. Or vanished. What ever happened after the other woman shot that arrow would determine what really happened then. 

And the other woman...who was she? Pazusu knew her name at one time – everyone involved in the war did – but now it had slipped his mind. He could recall her presence. Although she was badly wounded, the aura that surrounded her was unlike one he had ever encountered before. Looking back, he doubted that she was even a Japanese Shinma. It was that same aura that Miyu had with her… But the woman was dead now, though; a wound like that would have killed anybody. He knew, however, that like everything else in his memories, she would be back too. People who made an impression like that would not die easily.

***

The battle was heated and intense and going no where fast, even with four against three. The Quarl were giving them than what they had bargained for and were proving to be extremely difficult to keep up with. Even Ichirou's quick _Kibashiri_ attack missed more than it hit. Large ice spears lay protruding from rocks, trees and the ground all around them and several trees had been reduced to kindling where Kitsune's Puppet Strings had failed to reached their target.

As fast as the Quarls were, Ichirou was still faster. With a crack he passed Gigi as they charged each other, leaving the robes at his shoulder in tatters. "Hmph." He snorted. "You're not too bad for a kid." He thrust out his arm and a cloud of dust obscured Ichirou's vision, burning his eyes and throat. When he was finally able to clear away the dust from his eyes he saw that there was something terribly wrong.

"Hey!" He yelled. "What's going on here? Before I knew it where's only two of them!"

The other three stopped immediately and double-checked. Sure enough they were now only fighting four on two. The last time they had lost track of a member of the enemy side the results had been tragic. "Yui!" Nagi burst out. "They're chasing after her!" He cursed himself. In the chaos of the battle he had never even thought about that.

"I told you, I told you to not let her go alone!" Kitsune chanted as she blocked a blow with her sword.

Gigi only snorted again and moved to block the path that his comrade went down onto moments ago to track down the Shi-vampire. "We won't let you go!"

Nagi pushed himself to his feet, a hand on the hilt of his _katana_. "Get out of my way!" He bellowed in rage at the Quarl, the curved blade flashing.

* * *

"Stop!" Yui cried frantically as she struggled in Shoji's grasp. Every time she tried to pull away it tightened more and more until it became painful. "Both of you, stop! It hurts!" _Are they both really humans?_ They sure felt real. _And, if so, I can't do it…_ No matter how much Yui wanted to fight back, she could not bring herself to hurting her once best friends, even if they were coming at her with daggers.

All of a sudden the hands holding her released her and fell away as a thick dark mist began to coil itself around her body. Through the mist, which seemed to make the air thick and stifling, Yui heard the sound of cruel laughter. "So, you finally figured it out, eh, Yui?" A deep, sensual voice crooned at her.

Yui gasped. "Shi?" Was it really her own people that made Shoji and Kyoko in the flesh attack her?

"We fooled you easily with our disguise." The Shi continued. "You feel into our little magical trap. You're so nice to humans…is that your weak point?" It laughed again, and then its voice grew hard. "Yui! Disappear with that orb…"

It was then Yui knew that she was truly trapped and, worse of all, it had begun to shrink all around her. _I can't die here!_ She thought fiercely. _I must go help Miyu! I must!_ But it was getting harder to do so. It felt as if a giant hand was crushing her torso, squeezing the air from her lungs so she could not breath…then it felt as if water had began to roll off her body, but it hurt, as if it was her own skin…

"Everything melts…" the Shi laughed. "Your legs…your arms…"

Suddenly the orb that trapped Yui burst like a pricked bubble. Actually, it was broken by an object, and that very object was now embedded in a tree; it looked like a very large hairpin that had been sharpened on both ends.

Yui, released from the spell, fell forward but was caught just before she hit the ground by kind and gentle hands. "You can't kill her that easily!" Said a voice that was equally as kind. "Right, Yui?" Yui looked up and found herself looking into a very familiar face of a good-looking young man, not too much older than herself, with short auburn hair.

"Senju!" She sighed in relief. It was nice to see a friendly face.

"Aren't you in a hurry?" He asked with a warm smile. "Go. I'll take care of this." He glanced slyly over his shoulder where Shiki was now standing. The Shi stumbled back a step.

"Thank you, Senju!" Yui said happily as she hugged her friend around the shoulders. "But be careful!"

"It will be child's play." He reassured her, smiling one more time before she ran into the forest once again. "Now," Senju continued as he turned to face Shiki. "Which form do you prefer? Male of female?"

Shiki sneered back. "I am nearly of them!"

"I see…" Senju grinned. "So you're like me…"

The other Shi did not respond. He only held out an arm to his side, his eyes narrowing dangerously. "I'll leave the rest to you now, Occidental Shinma!"

Senju only blinked in confusion.

* * *

__

Hurry! Yui urged herself harder, pushing herself even further. _Miyu is near! _She was so busy thinking about Miyu and concentrating on running through the dark forest that she did not notice the stir of dark power behind her until it was too late. Just as she finally felt it and turned around to see what it was a beam of powerful energy-magic plowed into and through her shoulder, blood spraying from the wound. The pain was so great that she could not even cry out as she fell to her knees.

__

Yui…

A misty image of Miyu appeared in Yui's mind. She was still calling.

__

Yui…

"Miyu…" Yui called back helplessly, weakly, clutching her wounded shoulder. She did not notice when Gia materialized behind her. She did not have the strength nor the will to fight back.

The Quarl laughed in a vile manner. "Too bad, Yui." He chuckled. "Now you'll die!" He threw his hand forward, the condensed dark energy rushing towards Yui with enough force to tear her to pieces. 

From up above, _sakura_ pedals began to rain down from an unknown source, creating a barrier between Yui and the oncoming attack. In a flash of white life and a wild spray of pink _sakura_ blossoms, Yui vanished out of harm's way. 

"What?" Gia raged. "Is this some kind of trick? You won't escape me that easily, Yui!" Then he took off running again, following the blood left from Yui's wound.

From a shorter distance head, Yui bit back the tears that threatened to form. _Miyu! I must hurry! Miyu!_

* * *

For the second time in the same fight, Nagi stumbled as his young mistress cried out in distress through the bond they shared. _Yui? Are you hurt, Yui? _There was no answer.

"Hey, Nagi!" Ichirou shouted at him. "I'll take care of these guys! Go save Yui, and take the Chinese Shinma with you!"

"But…?" Nagi protested weakly. "You…"

"I said, I can handle this! Go on! Go save Yui!" He added a wink and a smile at the last part.

"Ichirou…"

"See you later!" The Japanese Shinma actually sounded excited about fighting this out alone.

"Ichirou!" Nagi called after him. "Don't get yourself killed!"

"Of course not!" Ichirou said back, giving Nagi a thumbs-up. With a smile, Nagi gave one back.

He turned to the Chinese Shinma. "Come on, let's go! Yui is in trouble!" Without even waiting, he took off running into the forest.

"What about the werewolf?" Kitsune asked.

Yoto answered, "I don't think we're going to have to worry about him." The two sheathed their swords and followed Nagi.

Ichirou smacked his fist into the palm of his other hand. "Here we go! My own special magic! _KIBABUNSHIN!_" Shadowy forms spread out on either side of Ichirou's body, solidifying and taking Ichirou's form. Now instead of one Ichirou, there were now about twenty. "I'll take care of you bastards!" The main Ichirou exclaimed as every other one gave a mad battle cry and charged at the Quarl.

* * *

Shiki was laughing, which Senju found was becoming quite annoying after a while. "What's so funny? He finally asked."

The other Shi giggled. "Yui is finished! The Occidental Shinma will kill her!"

"Occi…" What? Senju had certainly never heard of them before. Did that mean that there was more than one group of Shinma in the world?

Something was crashing through the forest behind him and not more than a few seconds later Nagi came bursting through the low shrubbery with two people Senju had never seen before. "Senju?" His friend sounded surprised to see him here, of all places.

"Nagi?" Senju sounded equally surprised. Nagi stopped beside him, breathing hard, with the other two coming to stand on either side of them. One was a girl just a little smaller than himself with red hair and a bushy fox tail. The other was a huge man wearing a sort of light armor. "Who are they?"

"Friends." Nagi panted. He took notice of the…think standing before them. "Is that a Shi?"

Shiki snorted, observing the newcomers out of the corners of his eyes. "More fools." He sounded bored.

"Man, oh man, where's Yoshi when opportunity leaves a big, fat door standing wide open?" Kitsune asked. She looked as if she did not know if she wanted to scream or laugh at the sight of the creature standing before them. 

"This is nothing compared to earlier." Yoto said. "Yoshi was battling an Occidental Shinma that he was actually coming onto before he realized that it was a man." In spite of the situation, Kitsune began to laugh.

"Nagi, what's an occidental Shinma?" Senju asked.

Nagi did not belittle Senju's question. Like most Shi, he did not know much about the Shinma race and the difference between the Clans, or the separate Clans at all. "Yui's in danger. I'll explain later. Right now, I've got to go to her!"

"You'll do no such thing!" Shiki hissed, raising his arms into the air. "I can't miss this chance to kill Yui!" The world around them seemed to darken, turning early afternoon into night. And from that darkness emerged scores of deformed, misshapen creatures; lesser Shi, weak, but they were so numerous that they were looking at a very long battle ahead of them.

Senju smirked as he looked out among the crowd of creatures. They were utterly surrounded. "A whole crowd of weak enemies." He mused. Nagi swore loudly. Things were only going from bad to worse, and Yui needed him. "Don't you think Yui's going to be all right?"

"What?" Nagi yelled in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

Shiki only continued to laugh.

* * *

Blood trailed behind Yui, running down her fingertips from her wounded shoulder, but she continued to push herself on. Only now, because of her injury, it was becoming more difficult to do so.

__

She's so close…I can feel her nearby… The world spun momentarily, causing Yui to stumble. _I'm…I'm so dizzy…I'm not even sure I'm headed in the right direction…_ For the past little while Yui had been alone, but a sudden unfriendly presence rose before her sop quickly that she barely had any time to react.

"Yui!" Death rushes to embrace you!" Gia shrieked at her as she attacked.

Yui screamed as the wave of dark energy rushed by her, missing a direct hit but still close enough to take off a few stands of hair. But she refused to let herself fall. She collected her feet under her and took off running with Gia's new attack pursuing. 

"Resistance is futile, Yui! Why do you run?" The dark magic roared past the Shi-vampire, causing her to cry out. Gia glared at her; that should have been a direct hit! _Sakura_ blossoms rained down around Yui as she continued to run. They were what had blocked her from the blow. "Your feeble defense will not save you!" Gia raged as he attacked again. This time the attack struck her, breaking through the _sakura_ barrier and striking Yui's already injured shoulder. Blood showered into the air, but she still refused to fall.

"I've got to keep running!" She told herself. "If I collapse now, Miyu won't…" Gia saw differently to that. Burning pain raced up her leg as one of the attacks bit deeply into her calf. Yui's mind was rendered blank from the pain. Blood gushed from the new wound and Yui finally stumbled and fell. Tears sprang to her eyes and no matter how much she squeezed them shut they still managed to slip through. The voice calling to her through her mind suddenly became very sad, as if Miyu was crying on the other side. _Miyu…are…are you crying with me? Can you feel me pain?_ "You must get up, Yui." She told herself. "Pull yourself together! I can feel Miyu nearby…" Slowly, weakly, Yui began to rise to her feet again.

Gia chuckled lowly. "You still live? How admirable. Now, become one with eternity!" The last part came out as a rasping shout as he threw an attack that was much larger and stronger then before. Not even Yui's annoying cherry blossoms could save her now.

Instead of cherry blossoms, though, came a shower of black feathers that vaporized the blow long before it even touched her. They formed two great black wings on Yui's back, then condensed into the body of a boy not much older than herself. If Gia had a mouth, he would have been gawking.

Yui was not sure of what had just happened. The only thing that she did know was that something had just saved her from Gia's assault. Then she heard a new voice in her mind.

__

Go…

Yui blinked, wondering if she had heard right.

__

Yui…go now!

Huge dark wings folded down around her and she smiled when she saw who it was who had saved her. "Lemunia!" She cried happily.

She was relieved when she saw he was doing better. He was now wearing a faded gold mask that left only his mouth and a small portion of his face bare. "Now, we are even!" He declared, stepping back and turning around to face the Quarl, pulling a portion of cloth tightly over his lower face. "Goodbye!"

Yui wanted to save and help – she had barely been able to stand against Gia, would Lemunia be able to? – but she knew what she had to do was important too. "Thank you, Lemunia!" She called out as she continued on her mission. The Western Shinma watched her leave from the corner of his eye until the shadows of the forest swallowed her.

Rage radiated from Gia so much that Lemunia could feel it from where he was standing. The young Shinma knew that where he came from, what he just did for Yui would have been considered brave and very noble for returning a favor of saving one's life. In this type of predicament, though, it also would have been called very, very stupid. Gia clenched his hand into a fist. "Lemunia…damn you!"

Pain throbbed in Lemunia's torso, but he pushed it down, even though the half-healed scars felt as if they were ready to break open where he stood. His life hung in the balance; if the wound did break, then he would have little hope of getting back to the ship alive. But it was also his honor that he was defending as well; Yui saved his life at the risk of loosing her own, and now it was only fair that he did the same. He could only stand between Yui and Gia to hold the Quarl back as long as he could and hopefully buy Yui some time. "I will not allow you to pass!" He yelled at the devil that stood before him. "And I won't go down quietly, either!"

Gia only made a vexed sound that bordered on amusement. "Heh. How feeble. Of course, it is only useless, child!" Gia crouched back and sprang forward. Lemunia had only half-expected this. He knew that there would be a counter-attack, but he had not thought about how he would defend himself, or hinder Gia from getting to Yui any faster than he would have liked. On impulse, he snapped his wings out, his black feathers spraying towards Gia like missiles. Gia moved through them like water, and Lemunia only had time to let his jaw drop open before the Quarl made contact. Burning pain lanced through his body when Gia dug a fist into Lemunia's solar plexus. It would not have hurt as much if the wound did not break open. He could already feel his blood soaking through Yui's sash and slickening the coils around his middle. The pain overtook him and he collapsed to his knees and tried to crawl away. How ever brave he felt only seconds ago was gone. Blood trailed behind him, but he hardly cared. The only thing that he could think about was getting back to the ship. To the ship, to safety and warmth. Back to where he could be close to Carlua…

The Quarl turned to admire his handiwork. He grinning evilly, taking note of Lemunia's unguarded back. "How foolish. You deserve to die here like the cur you are." Cracking his knuckles, he threw his hand down forcefully upon Lemunia's spine.

From high up above came a high-pitched howling scream. Massive wings blocked the light of the sun. Gia looked, his hand mere inches from Lemunia's backbone, just before a giant bat-like creature slammed into him head first. Both flew backwards, then the bat flipped onto his back, Gia fell on top of him, and then he thrust one broad foot into his middle, making him air-born once again. Gia slammed in the ground and bounced before he was able to stand up again. When the Quarl swung around, he saw the bat kick his legs into the air with a force that put him back on his feet. It was not really a giant bat, Gia knew. It was only one of those damned Chinese Shinma fools that looked like a bat. The fool of a boy. It was crouched low to the ground, wings spread tensely on either side of his body. He was not alone, though. Another Chinese Shinma was with him, a small but powerfully built boy of the same physical ago with the characteristics of a wolf. He was tending to Lemunia. Gia growled loudly. The boy was taking his kill away from him.

"You…" The bat hissed through clenched fangs. "Are not Shinma. That makes no excuse. How dare you attack someone of that condition! I can not forgive it!" His claws glowed bright red, glowing with the same ferocity of his eyes. "Claws of Fire!" He slashed at Gia with those spidery claws, and four crescent-shaped claw marks were sent spinning at the Quarl.

"It is useless to try!" Gia yelled, and as he began to charge, there was hot searing pain along his left hand and another along his shoulder and side. With a spurt of black blood, Gia glanced out of the corner of his eye to see a dark bloody stump where his hand used to be. Rage flared in his mind, filming his vision with red. The bastard. Oh, well. It was really no deal. The bat Chinese Shinma had turned his companion. Gia turned away also to retrieve his severed hand. He picked it up and connected the cleanly cut flesh to the blood-soaked flesh of his wrist. There was a burning, numb, painless sensation that last few moments, then he removed his one hand and flexed the newly attached hand a few times. It was as good as new.

"What fools!" Gia yelled. The Chinese Shinma whipped their heads around to glare at him, though astonishment flashed temporarily across their faces. "Do you think that was enough to stop me?"

"Impossible…" Yoshi breathed. "I could have sworn that was a direct hit." He could have sworn he saw a hand fly off. He saw the spray of blood…or something that he thought was blood.

"They're not Shinma." Ryuko said in an equally silence tone. "So he may have powers that we do not know of. Watch the boy. I'll get this ass-hole." He rose as Yoshi began to check the sash around Lemunia's waist.

Gia laughed in his maniacal tone when he saw Ryuko charging him. "Do you children think you're strong enough to defeat me?" He cackled.

Ryuko smiled, baring his glistening fangs. He flexed a hand, knuckles cracking and gleaming claws unsheathed. "Old enough for you, ass!" He and Gia were inches from making contact. Ryuko made one powerful downward slash. "Be gone, devil!" he yelled as of he was commanding him.

It seemed as if Gia exploded. Ryuko had torn him open from shoulder to opposite hip, ending with a spray of dark flesh. Ryuko came to a sudden halt and was nearly knocked over from the worst smelling stench that hit him in his sensitive nose like an iron fist. It was the stench of rotting meat and a garbage heap that was sitting in the summer sun, of a stable that had not been mucked out in months and a decaying corpse. A decaying army. With a strangled choke, Ryuko pitched forward on the forest floor, kicking his legs feebly and clawing at his nose, as if he was trying to dig the stench out. He coughed violently, then threw up a greenish liquid that was the last remnants of the last meal he ate, then went through a fit of convulsing dry heaves. The smell of the blood still clung to the inside of his nostrils. It felt as if he wanted to empty his stomach of every meal he ever ate. The blood's stench felt as if it was pulling him inside out. In the distance he heard Yoshi calling his name, and Ryuko pulled one eye open to see Yoshi sitting near Lemunia behind a mound of bleeding flesh. Yoshi seemed about ready to pick up the boy and bolt, but that would have been a foolish move. If Lemunia was moved, the pain would probably kill him. Gia was dead now. Even though the smell of the blood was still heavy and thick in the air and his nose, it would soon past. Defeating the Quarl made up for that.

For a small instant it looked as if the flesh quivered, but Ryuko figured it was just a trick of the mind. The smell did make his mind reel. But then the body shook more violently and both of the Chinese Shinma's jaws dropped as Gia lifted himself to his feet. And he was healing; they could see bone knitting, organ reconnecting and flesh rebuilding. The two halves of his body joined together and the skin meshed together, not showing a single scar. Even his clothing mended back together as if they were part of his body. The Quarl was whole again, as if Ryuko's claws had never touched him. He glared at each of the Chinese Shinma, anger radiating from his featureless face ten times as it did before. A hundred times more. But he made no attempt to attack either of them. Gia looked beyond Yoshi and Ryuko, into the Japanese Shinma Realm forests. Into the direction Yui had run.

Gia glared once more at Ryuko and said, "You will not forget this day, boy. I will make you all pay for this offense. You will wish that you would have died at our queen's hands by the time I'm through with you." That said, he took off after Yui in hot pursuit.

Ryuko tried to get to his feet, making guttural groans when he tried to speak. The taste of bile in his mouth was almost as strong as the blood smell that was still in his nose. "Let him go." Yoshi said, and Ryuko halted, one knee will on the ground. "Yui should be far enough ahead to be safe by now. Not to mention you're in no condition to chase, much less hunt it down. I'm not going after it alone, and I think the kid's dying. Get over here and help me."

Under any other circumstances, Ryuko would have fought Yoshi's reasoning, but it was good reasoning. It was amazing how intelligent Yoshi really was if the situation came down to it. With a nod, Ryuko half-crawled, half-walked over to the place where his friend was kneeling next to Lemunia. The bat Chinese Shinma was right; the boy did not look good. There was blood covering his entire middle and running in a finger-thin stream across the ground, but it was still too much lost. Sweat matted his semi-curly hair to his head and his cheeks were flushed with a fever. If something was not done soon, he would almost certainly die. And death by a Quarl, in a battle he did not belong in, was no way to go.

"D-do you think eithe-er of us c-can heh-help him?" Ryuko stammered in a thick voice. It was almost hard to make out what he was saying.

"I tried." Yoshi answered. "The kid doesn't have a drop of fire-blood in him. But maybe illusion…?" It was all they had to hope for. If he did, then they would not be able to get anywhere to save him in time and he would very well bleed to death.

Fighting down the nausea that was still boiling inside, Ryuko briskly rubbed his hands together and picked up one of Lemunia's hands, pressing both of his thumbs to the boy's wrists. Ryuko could faintly feel the pulse of Lemunia's blood under his fingers, but it was very weak. Gently, the Chinese Shinma threaded thin weaves of illusion into the bloodstream, seeking out any similar magic. For those first few tentative moments, there was nothing, and Lemunia's outcome was looking grim. Then…

__

There! Ryuko caught a faint glimpse of illusion magic, small and weak. Still, it was there and Ryuko's magic grabbed it and held on like there was no tomorrow. He allowed his magic to be guided through Lemunia's body, traveling though the bloodstream until the blood grew hot as if approached the wound. It was now or never. Still holding into the Western Shinma's illusion powers tightly, Ryuko branched out his own magic throughout the ruined flesh of the wound those bastard Quarl had caused.

The illusion magic of the Wolfin pulled at the fiber it was clinging to, stretching it out greatly, but allowing Ryuko's powers to attach to every bit of tissue around the wound. Ryuko was straining to do this; sweat stood out on his brow, he grit his teeth and his hands began to burn and he knew it would only get worse. Nausea was raging inside of him, threatening to overrule his entire being, but he forced it back down again. As he pulled his magic back he was also pulling the wound together, healing as he did so. He could feel the flesh and muscle mending back as they once were, but it was only becoming more difficult to maintain his hold. Lemunia was in a great deal of pain. He was writhing, groaning, his face twisted in agony. Yoshi was doing his best to keep him still.

The hold on Lemunia's magic had become so taught that Ryuko knew that if he let go now it would snap like an overloaded spring and strike right at the younger Shinma's heart. But he was almost done…just a few more seconds….

The last fibers of the wound knitted together and when Ryuko felt Lemunia's strength begin to return to him he slowly released the thread that he had been holding onto and redrew his magic from Lemunia's blood. It was a primitive way to heal and if the boy's powers had been stringer than it would have not been as difficult. At least the wound would not break easily now.

Lemunia's eyelids fluttered and opened weakly. He was…alive? Even after he felt death's cold, clammy caress on the side of his face, when all he saw all around him was darkness and, yes, a light at the end of the tunnel? But he was alive now. A part of him was desperately wishing to see Carlua when they opened, or maybe even Yui, but instead he found himself looking at two unfamiliar faces. Then he remembered who they were. "Ch-Chinese Shinma!" He stammered, trying to push himself up so he could get away, but his lack of energy kept him from doing so. "What are you doing here?"

"We just saved you from ol' dickless back there." Yoshi said, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder. "That's a pretty nasty wound you took when you saved Yui."

"Is…is Yui all right?"

"She looked fine to me. She'll be safe until she gets to the Fifth Layer. I'd say that we're at the edge of the Third, so she's pretty close. Anyway, we'd better get going." Yoshi stood up and took hold of one of Lemunia's wrists, pulling is arm over his shoulder.

"Wait…what are you doing?" Lemunia sounded a little alarmed.

"Piggyback." Yoshi replied. "How else are we going to get you back to the ship?"

"The…the…" Lemunia was dumbfounded. Then it hit him. For the first time ever, Lemunia realized that these Chinese Shinma were trying to help him. They were also the ones that saved him from the Quarl. That meant that…they really were not the monsters that everyone made them out to be. "Oh. Well, I can walk, really…"

"Not in that condition, you're not." Yoshi said, trying to pull Lemunia onto his back again. "Really, it's no problem. Just watch the wings, please…"

It was a little awkward to climb onto the Chinese Shinma's back because of the wings, but the pain in Lemunia's torso was not hurting nearly as much as it was and they were soon on their way back to the ghost ship. The other Chinese Shinma – Ryuko, was it? – was looking a little sickly, but he offered to carry Lemunia when Yoshi's back got tired. As they walked along, Lemunia could not help but wonder; he had been saved by a Japanese Shinma, he had saved the same Japanese Shinma, and then he had been saved by the Chinese Shinma. On top of that, they had been betrayed by Cait Sith. He sighed. What was the world coming to?

* * *

__

Miyu…where are you? What's going on? Answer me, please! Miyu's voice had fallen silent some time ago with one enough left to tell Yui that she was headed in the right direction. She was running faster too because Gia was right behind her.

"I've found you, little Yui." The Quarl hissed. "And now I'll finish what I've begun!"

Yui refused to let the demon distract her as she pushed herself faster. She did slow, however, when a new figure appeared in front of her. At first Yui thought that what she was looking at was a very large traditional Japanese doll, but it turned out to be a young woman of about twenty or so. Her black hair just touched her shoulders and she was adorned in a blue traditional kimono. Her presence was friendly and inviting.

"Ah, Yui! Welcome." The woman greeted her in a delicate voice. "You've done well."

Yui came to a halt, swaying where she stood. "Are you a friend of Miyu's?" She asked softly before collapsing into the woman's arms.

"I am Ranka." The woman replied. A Japanese Shinma. Yui knew she had nothing to fear.

"Please…is Miyu anywhere near by?" She was so tired…she wanted to sleep so badly, but a smile came to her face when Ranka nodded and pointed off into the forest.

"So through there, dear child. Walk to the stone wall, just a little ways away, and travel through the cavern that will take you to the Fifth Layer. There you will find Mori, and she will take you to Miyu. Go quickly, and do not worry. It will follow you no loner." She was referring to Gia, who was closing the space between them at an alarming rate. Yui gasped and took off running in the direction Ranka had pointed her in. Ranka, however, stood her ground.

"Japanese Shinma!" Gia shrieked at her. "You impudent vermin!"

"Don't you dare come near me." Ranka said coolly, raising a pale hand. "You disgust me." A ball of energy condensed on her hand and shot at the Quarl with a velocity that none of his attacks could meet. Ranka's attack slammed into Gia with that much force, breaking and cracking his ribs and knocking him back into the forest where the dark shadows swallowed him whole.

* * *

With nothing chasing her, Yui could concentrate only on getting to Miyu and not being run down by anything bent on killing her. She made her way through the forest, which seemed to be getting increasingly darker and silent, until she came to a wall made of solid stone that reached for the sky and stretched forever in each direction. The entrance to the cavern was right in front of her, as if it was waiting for her; a long, dark and damp tunnel that seemed to stretch for miles. When she emerged on the other side, she ignored the silent beauty of the Fifth Layer that would normally hold people in awe. Right now she had to find Mori. When she found Mori, she would find Miyu.

Something moved in the shadows, something as dark as the shadows themselves, something darker than the shadows, then melted out into the light. Yui paused and gasped at the giant black wolf that stood in her path, looking as if it could swallow her whole. Not even Nagi would be able to reach up to it shoulder, even if he stood on his toes and stretched his hand up, and Nagi was no pee-wee. But its eyes…the wolf had Miyu's golden eyes. "Are…are you Mori?" She asked carefully.

I AM. Replied an elderly, although strong female voice. The voice was not spoken from the throat, but rather projected from the mind. AND YOUR NAME IS, CHILD?

"Y-Yui." Came the shaken response. "Miss Ranka said I should find you because you would take me to Miyu…"

At the mention of her name, Mori seemed to relax. She appeared to be exhausted. OH…YUI, OF THE SHI CLAN… WE HAVE BEEN WAITING. COME, SHE IS THIS WAY… Mori turned and melted back into the forest, leaving only smoking paw-prints for Yui to follow.

Mori led Yui to a raised stone platform near a pool of water, covered by a misty glowing blue dome. _Miyu…that's you, isn't it?_ Yui thought as she approached the dome. Sure enough, there was Miyu laying under the shield, seemingly asleep, but the blood that was pooled around her told Yui that she had arrived not a moment too soon. Mori breathed once onto the dome and the color changed from blue to green before she stepped away.

Yui touched the dome; for having a misty appearance, it was solid. Exhaustion took her and she fell forward, her blood spilling over the dome. From inside, Yui heard a faint, steady pulse. _I…I can hear it…Miyu's heartbeat…_ "Thank goodness." She whispered. "I finally made it. Miyu, I'm sorry I took so long…" _I feel so completely at peace for some reason… Hey Miyu, does a mother's womb feel like this?_ As Yui's blood flowed over the dome that Miyu was under, she heard a voice calling to her…

__

Yui…

The dome turned from green to red as Yui's blood mixed with Miyu's.

__

Yui…

There was an audible cracking noise as the dome began to break. Under the shield, Miyu opened her golden eyes just before the dome burst apart, knocking Yui back.

Miyu blinked a few times before she sat up, looking around at her surroundings. Her eyes fell on the little girl on the ground. "Yui…?" It felt like ages since she last used her voice.

"Miyu!" Yui cried as she threw herself at Miyu, wrapping her arms around her neck. "You've woken up! It's so wonderful!"

"I…what…" Then she remembered that past events and the condition that she had been in the last few days. She smiled and gave Yui a warm hug. "Thank you, Yui." She said.

"Miyu, I'm so glad that you're all right." Yui said happily, returning the hug with tears brimming in her eyes. "Are you ready to come back with me? Everyone is very worried about you."

"I don't think either of us is in any condition to travel at the moment." Miyu answered, pulling back a bit. "You need to rest so your wounds can heal and both of us need to regain our strength. It will probably be better if you rest here for the night. I think Mori wants me to stay longer. And I feel in debt to her."

"But it's time for you to come back!" Yui protested. "We need you!"

"The assaults are holding now. A few more days will be all right. Yui, I want you to go back to your _Shimobe_ tomorrow and them find the Chinese Shinma. You will know who they are. They will protect you until I am strong enough to return to battle."

"What about you, Miyu?" Yui asked. There was a hint of sadness in her deep red eyes. "What will you do about your _Shimobe_?"

Miyu looked away. "I don't know."

To be continued…


	15. Wolfsister

Chapter Fifteen

Author's Note:

What, you think you got rid of me that easily? I was up until three in the morning finishing it, so you'd better enjoy it! Anyway, just as a heads-up, there is some major Mononoke-Hime inspiration here, so don't flame me for it. It was a good movie and it inspired me, so not flaming for it, got it? If I get flames, then…burn in hell. Sorry to be blunt about it, but I'm tired. So…enjoy or whatever you do.

Chapter Fifteen

Wolfsister

For the first time in what felt like hours, the two Quarl stopped fighting and froze, heads cocked as if listening to something. There was a change in the air; something had happened, something that was going to complicate the mission. That thing could only mean that Miyu was awake.

"We must leave." Gigi hissed. "We'll deal with these germs later…" And with that, both Gio and Gigi disappeared, leaving Ichirou standing alone.

"Huh? What?" The werewolf panted. "What's going on? Why are you running away? Damn you guys!" There was no response, only the still silence of the coming dusk. It was that late already? With a sigh, Ichirou leaned up against the trunk of a tree but ended up in a slump on the ground. He had no idea that he was so tired. "Oh well… I'm too tired anyway…I wonder if Nagi and the others are okay?"

* * *

Further down in the forest, Nagi and his party were having problems of their own. "Damn!" He cursed. "Are they just trying to buy some time? We're the ones in a hurry!"

"Well, let's just get this over with." Senju suggested.

"Just what the hell do you think we've been trying to do?" Kitsune yelled at him.

Shiki only laughed. For some reason he had thought that the entire battle had been extremely amusing. "Hmm…" He mused. "That's not a bad idea. Maybe I'll lend a hand as well…"

From out of the blue came a mind-voice that shattered Shiki's train of thought along with his cool composure. _Shiki!_ It screamed. _Miyu has been resurrected!_ Then, as quickly as it came, it was gone.

Shiki felt as if he had received an electric shock. _What? Then…what about Yui?_ Did that mean that he…he had…_failed?_ He was trembling visibly. No, that was no possible! He had never failed at anything, much less killing a little girl! But still…it was best not to risk it. _We're going to have to take a different approach…_ Shiki scoffed sourly at Nagi, who was charging straight at him, his sword blade flashing in the dusk light. "Damn! Get out of here, everyone!" With that and a violent swirl of dark mist, Shiki and all the lesser Shi disappeared, leaving Nagi, Senju, Yoto and Kitsune standing in an empty clearing.

"What the hell's going on?" Nagi yelled into the silence, which sounded unnerving after the roar and heat of the battle. "You can't screw with us like that!"

"Calm yourself, Shi." Yoto said, sheathing his sword in a gust of icy wind. "They are gone now. We can move on. I believe the your vampire needs you. We might as well be off."

Nagi only snorted. "What is going on…what's with these Shi people?"

"I wonder if they escaped before they all got killed?" Senju said, mostly to himself, placing a hand on his forehead as if it were really a question he had to think about. Nagi's face fell into one of confusion. Kitsune exchanged a familiar look with Yoto, but them raised her hands before her.

"I'm not saying a word." She grumped, and stomped off into the shadow-clad forest.

"Anyway, I'm just worried about Yui. Let's get moving." Nagi said to Senju, also disregarding his comrade's comment.

"Very well." Senju agreed. 

"The path is clear, Shi." Yoto called over his shoulder. "We should not encounter any more obstacles until we reach the lower Layers, but I suggest we make haste. The Japanese forests at night are sometimes more traitorous than any foe you may meet along the way."

* * *

For the majority of the journey, the party stayed silent as they continued to make their ways through the forest. Occasionally Yoshi had to shift Lemunia on his back to make the situation less uncomfortable as Lemunia nodded to sleep. Every now and then Ryuko would offer to carry the boy for a while, but he was still looking too weak to carry any sort of weight. Not as bad as he did a few hours ago, but it would be a while before all his strength came back to him. To their luck, they did not run into a single Shinma – or Quarl, to their relief – until they were half way out of the second Layer, just after they were clear of the pass that lead through the tall, snow-capped mountains.

"Wait." Ryuko said, stopping in his tracks. Yoshi came to a sudden halt as well. Lemunia grunted and woke up from the snooze he was in. "There's someone here. Let me look."

"Is it a Quarl?" Lemunia asked. There was a slight hint of fear to his voice.

"No. It's a Shinma, but I think it may be one of your companions. Let me look."

"Ryuko, be careful. You're in no condition to be doing any sort of fighting." Yoshi called to his friend's back as the Wolfin was swallowed in the forest. There was an awkward silence for a few moments, a growing tension, and then Ryuko's voice penetrated the air like a gunshot.

"Hey Yosh. I think you'd better have a look at this." Yoshi gave Lemunia an uneasy look from over his shoulder before heading into the bushes after Ryuko. Both Shinma gasped when they saw what…actually, who…Ryuko had found.

"Amy!" Lemunia gasped.

The once proud Shinma was lying on the ground, looking as if he had been dragging himself along for some time. He looked exhausted and was very dirty, but still alive. At the sight of Yoshi, he shot the bat Chinese Shinma such a look that it would have killed anything mortal. "You…" He hissed. "Have you come back to laugh at me?"

For the first time in what felt like ages, Yoshi's face cracked into his goofy half-smile. "Actually, no, but now that you mention it…" He started laughing loudly.

"Oh, shut up!" Amy snapped.

"What happened to you?" Lemunia asked, trying to get a better view over Yoshi's shoulder.

"_He_ did this to me." Amy spat, shooting another "if looks could kill" glares at Yoshi. "He challenged me and…defeated me with deception…"

"What are you talking about, fruity-man?" Yoshi asked, bending down into a crouch.

"You know what I am talking about fool. The dragon."

"A what?" Lemunia asked, not believing his ears.

"Just what I said, boy." Amy snapped, pushing himself to his elbows. "He called up a dragon made of fire that he used to attack me."

Lemunia frowned. "Don't be ridiculous, Amy. Dragons have been extinct for thousands of years, since before our parents were born."

"Maybe in your world, kid, but definitely not in ours. Dragons are one of the main creatures that walk our lands." Ryuko said.

"Then…" Amy continued, throwing off all other side conversation, drawing the attention back to him. "He did something to me. A blue light shot from his mouth and drained away my life and left, leaving me for dead. I was alone in this forest all night, alone."

"Oh, whine, whine, whine." Yoshi rolled his eyes. "You Westerners, I swear. You turn every little situation into a death scene. Besides, it was your own fault for attacking Miyu and that family in the first place, without an official challenge at that! Just for that, we should leave you right here and let you get back to your ship be yourself. C'mon, let's go." He stood up again, hitching Lemunia onto his shoulders a bit better and began to walk away.

"Yosh…" Ryuko called after him. "We can't leave him. It would be…bad form." That last part sounded almost painful to get out. "Let me carry the kid for a while and you get him."

Yoshi swung around so fast that Lemunia had top tighten his grip to make sure that he did not fall off. "What? Why do I have to carry him?" He snapped. 

Ryuko looked as if he was taken aback by his friend's tone of voice, but continued; "Because you fought him, that's why." 

Yoshi made a vexed voice, glaring hard at Amy, but instead of protesting knelt down so Lemunia could climb off his back. Lemunia slid off, clutching at his wound. He did not protest either; they had done so much for him, helping an enemy, that he did not want to make it sound as if he was ungrateful. "Get on my back." Yoshi said, kneeling next to Amy. When the Western Shinma did not move, Yoshi said, more irritably, "Now, or I'll really leave you behind."

It was a little awkward at first since Amy was bigger and weighed a lot more than Lemunia, but Yoshi did not say another word while they continued to make their way to the Western ship. Ryuko was now carrying Lemunia on his back and were walking a little bit in front of Yoshi, despite his low energy, but only because the anger that radiated from Yoshi was hot on the back of his neck. "Um…your friend." Lemunia said after a long period of silence. "When we first saw him, he seemed…to be in a really good mood, all the time. Kinda like how my brother was. But now he seems different."

Ryuko nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he is, but it's just been since the little incident when Miyu was almost killed." Lemunia shifted uneasily. Ryuko did not notice. "It seems now that Yoshi gets angrier every time he thinks about her, and it's been growing."

"Why's that?" Lemunia inquired. "Does he not like her?"

Ryuko gave a dry laugh. "Of all people, kid, I'd think you would know more than anyone the feeling of loving somebody even though you're well aware that they love someone else."

Once again, Lemunia shifted but nodded glumly. Ryuko pitied his friend for that reason. Yoshi, although he could sometimes be a world class pervert of the highest degree, rarely let himself develop intimate feelings for a girl. In fact, Yoshi was terribly shy around girls, and therefore usually avoided the ones that he did not consider being a friend. And he did not blame him, either; Miyu was really an incredible and very attractive young woman, but everyone who knew her knew that her heart belonged to another, even though he had betrayed her and almost killed her. He could not imagine what Yoshi was going through at the moment, especially since the girl Ryuko had his eyes on for a while was more manly than some guys he knew. No one spoke again until they emerged from the forest and stepped out onto the beach that bordered the Spirit Sea.

"Well, this is where we let you two down." Ryuko said, stopping just a few feet short of the surf line. He let Lemunia slide off his back so he did not cause any pain to his wound; Yoshi nearly dropped Amy on his backside. "We got to get back to our own companions. And kid," He placed a gray furry hand on Lemunia's shoulder and lowered his voice to a whisper. "Just keep in mind that if there happen to be any confrontations later, which I seriously hope not, it's nothing personal." Lemunia nodded.

Yoshi snorted, stretching his hands over his head. "Well, that was fun. See you around, Amy." The sudden friendliness in his voice nearly threw Amy through a loop but when he turned around to say something Yoshi's back was already to him. "Oh, and keep in mind…" He extended his right arm behind him, palm open to Amy, and folded down four of his five long fingers, leaving only his middle digit protruding in the air. It took almost all of Lemunia's strength to hold Amy back from jumping Yoshi as the two Chinese Shinma walked away.

"Now why did you have to do that?" Ryuko asked him over Amy's insulting shouts. "I thought we could have gotten away from them without kicking up any trouble."

Yoshi laughed, sounding like his old self again. "Sorry, but I couldn't help myself." He chuckled. "It was too easy. Besides, would you have let an opportunity like that pass you, especially to a jerk like that?"

"No, probably not." Ryuko laughed as well. "It was pretty ingenious, though. C'mon, let's get back to the Fourth Layer. I am way overdue for a good night's sleep." Yoshi thought about that for a moment and realized that it had been days since he last slept. He nodded in agreement as he and his Wolfin companion disappeared back into the dark Japanese forest.

* * *

Kia breathed silently, doing her best to flex her talons without making the wood under them creak. She had been sitting in the same tree all day, and she was feeling about as stiff as the branch that she was perched upon. All her joins hurt; her back, her legs, her shoulders, her neck…even the marks on each eye were hurting. But as much as she wanted to, she did not complain. The reason to that was because Aoi was leaning up against the same tree that she was perched in, standing so still that a statue seemed to have more life to it. Normally people would not care what people thought of her, but Aoi was one of the elite Samurai of the Japanese Shinma Realm. If she said anything about the pain in her body, then he would probably consider her weak, and as the crowned heir of the Avian Clan, she could not appear weak. Kodi would certainly not approve. So instead she swallowed back the aches and continued to stare straight ahead.

They had a perfect full view of the Western Shinma's ghost ship, the massive bulk looming eerily on the dark ocean. She was still not exactly sure what it was they were doing there; they were "waiting", as Aoi and Ranka had put it, but waiting for what? For hours nothing had moved, and the only sounds to be heard was the soft lapping of the waves on the shores and the wind that moaned across the sands and through the trees. Now it was getting late; she could see it even through the thick, gray overcast clouds. A mist had begun to roll in from the ocean and had now blanketed all the landscape around them. And it was getting cold. Chances were it would snow again before midnight. For a while she wished that she had brought a book, or at least her homework, until movement near the ship caught her attention. With her sharp eye sight, she did not need a second glance to tell her it was Larva and Spartoi, returning to the ship from whatever they had been doing that day.

"What do you think they were doing?" She asked in a hushed voice to Aoi. "And more importantly, why didn't we do anything?" Just the sight of the blue-haired Western Shinma made Kia's blood boil as she remembered what he did to Miyu just a few days ago. Kia loved the young Japanese Shinma as if she were a little sister, and wanted to protect her all that much.

"A trained warrior knows when the time is right to attack." Aoi answered. "Of all people, Chinese Shinma, you and your comrades should know that is one of the first keys to victory in battle. We must watch them and study every move before we can do anything. Therefore it is better not to act irrationally." Kia grumped, shifting her position again. Acting irrationally…that was one of her greatest weaknesses. "Besides," Aoi's voice grew low and suspicious. "I saw more leaving the ship today, perhaps four or so, and only two have come back. Where are the others?"

Kia sensed reason for his uneasiness. "They're not stupid. Even they know its wise not to roam the forests of this world at night. If we are lucky, then it is the forest that have solved our problems for us."

"Or they found something that we were trying to keep hidden from them." Kia felt the bottom drop out of her stomach, but nodded. That was something that she did not want to think about. Instead she turned her attention back to the ship and shoreline, which was now silent and completely deserted. Darkness began to fall rapidly and she was considering calling it a night – if the other Western Shinma were not back at the ship now, then they would not be coming back at all – until she saw more movement emerge from the trees.

"What the…" Kia breathed, leaning forward on her perch. "What the hell is my brother doing here? And Ryuko? And who…" She bit off the last part of her sentence. She knew exactly whom it was that Yoshi and Ryuko were carrying, but she was not sure that Aoi would approve too much.

Unfortunately, Aoi had noticed what she had seen as well. "Kia…why are they helping those Western Shinma?"

Kia swallowed, thinking hard. "Well…my brother may seem like a dip, but he wouldn't do something like that unless he has a really good reason to." It was only a half-lie, but the samurai seemed to accept it. "Anyway, it looks like they were only dropping them back at the ship…" She frowned. This was getting a little strange. "Maybe I should go ask. Wait… they're heading back now. Hey listen, I'm going to return to the Fourth Layer. I don't know about you, but I haven't slept in almost three days. I'll see what they all found out today!" She added that last part quickly and held up her hands when Aoi gave her a questioning look. "Besides, you said yourself that they won't try anything now that it's night. Where can I meet you tomorrow?"

"Right here, Chinese Shinma." Aoi responded, looking back out at the ship. "I'll stay here and keep an eye out. These Western Shinma…are desperate to do what they need to succeed in whatever they came here to do. Something much worse is afoot, and I will not rest until I get to the bottom of it." Kia nodded, keeping her silence. She opened a Gate on the branch and stepped through it, disappearing with a lingering smell of electricity in the air.

* * *

To her surprise, Kia was not the only one who decided it was time to call it a night and return to the fourth Layer. In fact, everyone was there, looking definitely as if they had had a harder day than she had, and she could not imagine anything worse than sitting in a tree for hours on end. Tacha and Verde looked exhausted, as well as Kitsune and Yoto. Yoshi and Ryuko were looking in slightly better moods than the others were, although there was some strain to their faces and eyes. The only one who was moving was Mie-Ling, who was playing a game with Mioshi and Okkoto. The little cat-girl was in the trees, jumping for branch to branch, hiding from the two huge white wolves, who would pretend to search for her before finally circling around the tree that she was in. They had probably been doing it ever since Tacha and the other Chinese Shinma left, but it was the only way to keep her from wandering off on her own.

All her friends, however, were all on the ground, several of them leaning against the trunks of trees with their eyes closed. Each one sported several welts and bruises. Yoshi was already hanging upside down from a thick branch, indicating that he was ready to turn in for the night. Kia cleared her throat to get their attention, letting them know that she was there and, more over, that she needed to speak with them before anyone got any sleep. But she had to do this now; she had told Aoi that she would get the information they had to him when she saw him next, which was only in a few hours. Although she had not fought at all that day, her body ached for sleep too. She had not slept since the night before the Western Shinma had stepped foot on this land. 

They stirred slightly, blinking their eyes open as if they did not recognize her. "Sorry about that, guys." She said in a whisper. "But I got to do this; Aoi asked me to get any information from you guys that may help us fight the Western Shinma and, more importantly, figure out what their true motive is. First off, what in the hell happened to all of you today?"

Each one began to talk at once until Kia had to tell them to go one at a time, starting with Tacha and Verde. The Felins told her about the fight with Water Lipper and finding out why some of the Western Shinma were here; for revenge against their humiliation from the battles of the Shinma Wars. Kia snorted the story away. It was childish, typical; something that a Western Shinma was known for, and that was holding absurd grudges. That showed that just from them being here to take Larva back because they thought Miyu was holding him against his will. 

The other Chinese Shinma's stories were more frightening. Yoto and Kitsune went first, telling the rest about their encounter with Shiki; this meant that the Shi were involved now as well, and it was because of Yui. Small, innocent Yui who had no part in the battle, but since she was the only one who could help Miyu, had been pulling in against her will and was now as hunted as the rest of them. Then Yoshi and Ryuko told Kia about the Quarl. At the first mention of the name, Kia's blood went cold.

"Fuck!" She swore. "I knew that those bastards were involved somehow!" The others nodded in agreement, all looking as pale as she probably was. She ran all three stories through her head, sifting through the evidence and facts one more time. "This could only mean one thing; the Quarl are back to finish whatever the Shinma War had been started for."

"But that's ridiculous." Tacha said. "Everyone knows that the Quarl were all killed off when the war ended."

"Apparently not." Kia said. "They must have found a gutter or something, or at least some of them towards the end, but there where enough to come back and finish their jobs incognito. And don't look at me like I'm fucking nuts, because you all know that there were enough Quarl here to back that theory up, especially since they're all supposed to be dead."

"She has a point." Yoto said. "The pieces fit into place almost exactly. You probably all felt the shock wave just after noon, correct? It was before that that I think we all ran into the Quarl."

"I'm not saying it's impossible…" Ryuko began. "But can you explain to me why the Quarl started the war in the first place?" They all looked at Kitsune, whose special study was conveniently history.

"Well, if I can remember correctly, they wanted to attack the Japanese Realm for some reason or another; I don't think they ever got an exact reason. Now remember that everything that happened before they came to the Japanese Shinma Realm is a little sketchy, but I think they tried to get the Western Shinma to fight it out for them, or along side them, or something. But the Western Shinma refused. True, they aren't exactly fond of the Japanese Shinma, but it gave them no reason to simply attack, so the Quarls began to war by attacking the Western Shinma, which until then they held some sort of loose alliance."

"But I think it was something more than that." Yoshi said. "Do you remember what Caial said when Kyuko finally took a step in?" They all nodded, but Yoshi said it anyway: "'Just the person I wanted to see.'"

"It could only mean one thing." Kia said. "They're after Miyu and desire nothing more than her death. To us, it seems absurd and completely moronic that they would travel all the way over here to take Larva away from her, but there is still some sense to those thick heads. Something tells me that they didn't come here to kill Miyu as well. Well, except for maybe the blonde broad, but I think all of us saw some evidence of that as well."

"What can we do?" Yoshi asked in a bit of a panic. "We can't leave Miyu alone, especially with those freaks after her!"

"She's with Mori right now, in the Fifth Layer, and that's the safest place she could be right now. It will have to do until we can come up with a better plan. Until then, there are to be no casualties to the Western Shinma, even more strictly than before, got it?" The other nodded once again. "Good. Mioshi? Okkoto? Did you catch all of that?"

Every word, Chinese Shinma. One of the big wolves growled. We will tell our Mother immediately. And they were gone into the forest before Kia could say another word.

"Well, at least with that information we are a step ahead of them, or at least neck-and-neck." Tacha said. "But it's not enough. We have to get ahead of them and know what the next move will be. If not, then the same fate that bestowed Kyuko will soon fall onto Miyu."

Kia grimaced. "They want her dead. That's all they'll ever want."

***

It was late. The air was cold, and an eerie calm settled over the Heart of the Darkness. Wispy clouds drifted past a sliver of moon that hung in the sky. The only audible sound was Yui's gentle breathing as she slept next to Miyu, curled up under a blanket made of deerskin. Miyu was sitting up, awake, with a heavy brown bear skin blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She had not slept for a moment that entire night. Yui had fallen asleep long before. Her mind was troubled. She repeatedly asked herself, _Where do I go from here?_ Should she find the others and rejoin the battle? But she felt as if she were in a great deal of debt towards Mori and the other Elders. They had come up from the Heart of the Darkness, to the world of the humans, to help her. Should she look for Larva? 

Her heart ached. Had he thought of her at all since that dark day? It was so odd. One part of Miyu knew that was not him; not the Larva she had known since she was a human child. The cold look in his usually gentle eyes when he looked at her, the way her spoke to her. She looked down at her yukata. There was a large ragged hold in the front-center, covered in blood. There was another smaller tear on the left shoulder. Larva had done this, but she knew him well enough to know that he would have never done anything like this to anyone unless she or anyone else he cared about had been in trouble. They must have done something to him, she concluded. After they had been separated. And he would have remembered if Carlua had not interrupted. Anger boiled in her heart when she thought about the Western Shinma, mixed with pain and sorrow from the loss of her best friend and companion. She was also angry with herself. Why had she not seen how important he was when they were together? She may never rest in his arms again. Her soul was raked with pain and sorrow, but there were no tears. That surprised her more than anything else did in her train of thoughts.

MIYU? Mori's mental Voice came from behind. Miyu turned around to see the ancient Elder standing behind her. She was almost impossible to see; her dark fur blended perfectly with the black shadows. I THOUGHT YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN ASLEEP BY NOW. IS ANYTHING BOTHERING YOU?

"No…" Miyu began. "I was just thinking. I was not able to sleep."

EVEN THOUGH IT IS LATE, I THINK YOU SHOULD FIND SOME DESENT CLOTHING, UNLESS YOU WANT TO RUN AROUND IN A RUINED, BLOODSTAINED YUKATA. A BATH MAY NOT BE A BAD IDEA EITHER. Miyu felt her face grown hot; she knew that wolves had an incredible sense of scent. She hoped she did not smell too bad. She let the bear skin fall from her shoulders and followed Mori to a shallow, clear pond. Mori turned as Miyu took off her Yukata and slipped into the water. It was very cool, but it seemed warm at the same time; Miyu could not figure out what temperature it truly was. The simplest thing in the Heart of the Darkness seemed complicated. But whatever it was, it felt good. It was when Miyu shed her clothing that she realized that she did not have any scars on her body. There should rightfully be a huge, hideous scar on her torso where Larva had stabbed her, but her skin was unblemished.

Then she saw her left shoulder; there was a scar there. It was small, thin, and paler than her skin. It was where Larva had cut her. Miyu touched the scar, trying to fight back the memory. 

Cold water splashed over her head. She twisted around and saw Mori standing behind her with a bucket-like object with a long handle clasped between her teeth. Lowering her head, she refilled it and dumped it on Miyu's hair again. Miyu coughed and wiped the water that ran in her eyes. JUST BECAUSE I HAVE THIS BODY DOES NOT MEAN I DO NOT HAVE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A MOTHER. I USED TO BATHE MY CHILDREN THIS WAY. EVEN MONSTERS CAN BE PARENTS.

"Oh no, I never though of you as a monster. I think you're beautiful." Miyu said.

Mori chuckled deeply in her throat, set the bucket down on the ground and lay down herself.

"Why did you and the other Elders save me? I thought that all Japanese Shinma wanted nothing to do with the vampires."

THE SHINMA OF THE FIRST AND SECOND LAYERS DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. THEY ARE ARROGANT, JUST AS OSA WAS. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT YOU NOR ANYONE ELSE KNOWS HOW IMPORTANT THE VAMPIRES ARE TO THE SURVIVAL OF THIS CLAN, OR THEIR HISTORY. IT IS TIME THAT YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR HERITAGE. I CAN TELL YOU THAT IN THE MORNING, SINCE IT IS SO LATE, THOUGH; IT IS A LONG STORY TO TELL. YOU NEED TO GAIN YOUR STRENGTH BACK. IT ALSO SEEMS TO ME THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW THAT TO DO FROM HERE. Miyu shook her head. MIYU, WHEN TWO INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCE THE SAME PAIN, THEN THEY UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE COULD. DID YOUR _SHIMOBE_ FEEL THAT WAY? 

"He lost both of his parents when he was really young, so he didn't remember them that well." 

I THINK OUR LOSS IS A BIT MORE PAINFUL. YOU LOST YOUR MOTHER WHEN YOU AWOKE AS A VAMPIRE. AND I…ONCE HAD A DAUGHTER. MY DEAR KINAMI, THE YOUNGEST OF MY CUBS. SHE WAS JUST LIKE YOU; STRONG, FEARLESS, AND VERY SENSITIVE. SHE HAD MY FUR AND WOULD SOMEDAY BE THE ELDER OF THIS LAYER WHEN I PASSED ON, LEAVING HER BROTHERS AS SENTINELS. BUT SHE LOST HER LIFE IN THE GREAT SHINMA WARS ALL THOSE YEARS AGO. NO DOUBT HER HIDE IS HANGING ON SOME MANTELPIECE OF A WESTERN BASTARD'S CASTLE. She paused. I WON'T WASTE TIME. WILL YOU LIKE TO BE ONE OF US, OF OUR FAMILY, UNTIL YOU KNOW WHICH DIRECTION YOU WANT TO FIGHT IN? AS MY DAUGHTER AND THE SISTER OF OKKOTO AND MIOSHI?

"Stay with you?" Miyu asked. "As in… a family?" Mori nodded.

RUN WITH THE WOLVES, AS A CREATURE OF THE NIGHT AND THE DEFENDER OF THIS WORLD. YOU COULD PROVE TO THEM THAT MESSING WITH YOU IS GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF THEIR LIVES. Mori said with a sneer.

Miyu considered the idea. Vengeance would be nice. "All right. I'll do it. For the vengeance, for protecting this world, and to finally have a family."

The Elder's wolfish smile grew so cold that Miyu felt the temperature of the air and the water drop, but suddenly the furry black ears perked up on the top of her head. Mori stood up abruptly, looking behind her, nose raised in the air. "Mori…"

SOMETHING…IS AMIDST. SOMETHING ILL. She snorted, as whatever it was smelt never bad. THIS DOES NOT BODE WELL. I MUST GO.

"Go?" Miyu inquired, raising slightly from the pool. "Go where?" Instead of answering, Mori was now speaking silently to her two sons, who had stepped out from the trees as if they were made of shadows themselves. Although her Voice was soft, Miyu could hear most of the conversation.

THE SEAL IS BEING THREATENED BY AN EVIL FORCE, AND I FEAR THE WORSE. WATCH AFTER MIYU. FIND THE GARB THAT SAINYON ADORNED WHEN SHE WAS WITH US. I MUST GO. Without waiting for a response, Mori bounded into the night.

The two white wolves only looked at each other, and they were looking very disturbed at that. DO YOU THINK…IT COULD BE WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT? Mioshi asked.

I DON'T DOUBT IT. Okkoto responded with a growl. 

* * *

The tone in their voices made Miyu shiver. Something told her that things were going to become much worse before they showed any signs of becoming better.

Cait Sith approached the small hut wearily. He had spent all day looking for the blasted thing and well into the night, but now it was here. It was pitiful-looking, actually; a small Japanese Shine guarded by meaningless paper wards. But it looked too pitiful, like the borrow of a snake; a hole, harmless-looking, but hiding the true danger that lay beyond that one did not see until it was too later. He should have sensed something by now, a guard, a ward, or something. But right now nothing else mattered. He was here; he had finally found what he had been searching for all these long years, the only reason why he came to the accursed land in the first place. He chuckled in a revolting manner. "Here it is… I have finally how it!" Gima stood close by, a smirk on her pretty red mouth. Cait Sith thrust a hand forward. "Now I can release my mother from her prison!" In a flash of black energy, his wraith flew, howling in their demonic way, towards the hut that held the key. It shattered into a million pieces of well-aged splinters, kicking up dust and dirt all around.

As the dust cleared, Cait Sith saw the faintest glow of pale light, which grew stringer as the surroundings became clearer. A rather simple-looking dagger in a brown scabbard was hovering a few feet above the ground where the hut had just been. Cait Sith chuckled again but it quickly grew into mad laughter. "I have it! The key is mine!"

When Cait Sith turned back around, Mori was standing in the path. The breeze did not so much as ruffle her sleek black fur. IT HAS BEEN MY DUTY TO GUARD THAT CURSED DAGGER FOR THE PAST FIFTEEN THOUSAND YEARS. EVEN THOUGHT I WAS NOT THERE WHEN YOU TOOK IT, I WILL NOT FAIL IN MY DUTY. I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE. AND I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO ACIEVE WHAT YOU'VE COME HERE FOR. The powerful muscles of her back legs coiled and she sprang forward, claws out-stretched and huge jaws open. She moved with incredible speed and Cait Sith was barely able to dodge her. She turned quickly with as much speed and grace as a Shinma in a human form would. Cait Sith took off running. Mori could not chase him down and tear him apart at the moment like she wanted too, but the sudden movement made her limbs ache with age. Instead she threw back her head and howled. The world shook and quivered violently, like some small rodent hiding from the searching hawk. A tree a little more than a hundred feet in front of Cait Sith began to quake then up-rooted and fell across the path, blocking his escape. That would not stop him. He could still get away from her. Ignoring the throbbing ache in her joins, Mori charged.

When the huge tree crashed down in front of him, Cait Sith had no choice but to stop. He turned to see Mori running towards him. There was only one thing left for him to do. Some ancient overgrown dog was not going to stand between him and victory. Flinging a hand out, his cat wraiths flew screaming at Mori. Most flew past her. Most did. One of the black cat wraiths bit into her shoulder when she was within pouncing distance of the Western Shinma, sending up a mist of red blood. Her leg crumpled from the pain. She stumbled, tripped, and fell down the side of the cliff, snapping huge branches off the trees as the forest below swallowed her body.

From on top of the cliff's ledge, Cait Sith looked down to the spot where Mori had hit and disappeared. He laughed down at her. "Some Elder." He called after her. "Your world in doomed! The Japanese Shinma will fall under our rule!"

* * *

The next morning looked to be promising; why, Larva did not know. For not the first time he was questioning why what he and Spartoi were about to do, and that was venture back into the Japanese Spirit Realm. What reasons did they have to go there? As far as he knew, the original mission was completed, and that was to release him from Miyu's control. But Cait Sith had insisted that they go back out into the lower Layers to look for any worthy opponent, as he put it. Of course, now he and his friend knew that meant go look for any strong opponent from the foreign Realm and battle them to the death. And then that was broken down to the Sentinels and the Elders. For some reason, Cait Sith had become obsessed with destroying the hierarchy of the Japanese Shinma Realm, but his motives were unclear. At first he sort of explained it, saying that it was a message to the rest of the Realm that said to never underestimate them again. But soon the Quarl became restless and irritated with their questioning, especially after he returned to the ship so late the night before, long after midnight. The look in his eyes when Larva asked that morning was enough to make him want to leave the boat without a second look back.

Maybe it was because Yui had made her way to the Fifth Layer and, to his understanding, had revived Miyu. The mere thought made chills run up and down Larva's spine. That meant that she was out there, somewhere, probably waiting him, watching him, waiting for the chance to steal his blood and make him her slave once again. Well, _that_ was not going to happen. She had been easy enough to defeat before. And, from the ties she once had with him, seemed reluctant to fight back against any assult. Keeping her at bay would not be as hard as it once seemed to be.

But now he was wondering why he was obeying Cait Sith's orders once again as he and his hulking friend made their way through several feet of fresh snow that had fallen the night before, making their way across the First and Second Layers. They stayed close to the river which, by Water Lipper's description, ran straight through the land. That meant that if they followed it they would not get lost, but that was hardly a thought when they saw the condition Water Lipper was in when she finally returned to the ship. Her faire skin was badly blemished with dark bruises and half-healed wounds that were still too tender to touch. It looked as if she had been attacked by a very large animal. Pazusu had, of course, been appalled, asking her what had done this to her. Larva had a feeling that he was not the only one who saw her sea-green eyes flicker to Cait Sith and, with a heavy swallow that one did when nervous, answered "Chinese Shinma" hastily before retreating to her cabin.

Then there had been Amy and Lemunia. Both were in bad shape as well, Amy being very dirty and exhausted and Lemunia with a blood-soaked ribbon tied around his middle. They too, said that it was the Chinese Shinma, although Lemunia sounded as if he had wanted to say something else instead. Amy, on the other hand, began to rave about the Chinese Shinma he had fought, saying how it was the most unfair, disgraceful battle he had ever been in and talking about the vileness and downright rudeness of the Chinese Shinma himself. Lemunia retreated to his cabin as well, leaving Amy fuming in the middle of the room before he almost collapsed of exhaustion.

There was only one thing to be concluded from this; the Chinese Shinma were as they had said to be, as told by their parents; savage monsters that only fought for the taste of blood. Pazusu warned the remaining Western Shinma to keep an eye out for them and, if seen, to avoid them. Their other comrades had been lucky, but something told him that that luck was running thin.

But so far they had not seen any Chinese Shinma. Or any Japanese Shinma, for that matter. In fact, they did not see anything until they were on the border of the Third Layer.

Something caught Larva's attention out of the corner of his eye. Something was laying on the bank of the icy river- something large and black. With a second glance he saw it was breathing. "Hey Spartoi, isn't that the Elder of the Fifth Layer?" Spartoi looked too. Sure enough, it was Mori, the once proud Elder of the Fifth Layer, laying in a crumpled, pathetic heap on the ground. 

"I wonder what did that to her." Spartoi said, then shrugged. "Oh, well. It looks as if she's out of action. She doesn't seem to see us, which will make it easier for us to take care of the Second Layer. Where ever they are." Both of them were near the outskirts of the Second Layer, and so far they had not come across one Shinma of that Layer. They were probably all taking refuge in the lower Layers. All except for the Sentinel. With her out of the way, they could move onto the Third Layer. 

Larva said, "I really don't see what the fuss is. If something could befall the second most powerful Shinma in this Realm, then they truly are a weak..." He was cut off by a sudden movement within the shrubs across the river. From the dark foliage two snowy-white figures emerged, moving swiftly on silent paws, their large, sleek bodies kept close to the ground. Wolves, but they were too large to be ordinary wolves. They had to have been Mori's children, Mioshi and Okkoto. And something else... a small figure, dressed in the white pelt of some animal, was on one of the wolves' back. Judging from the slender arms and legs visible from the fur, it was a female. Grasped in one hand was a long spear, and she wore some sort of red mask over her face. The two wolves stopped by their mother, nuzzling her gently with their muzzles and making some sort of whimpering noise. Mori stirred, then pushed herself up on her front legs. Then Larva and Spartoi could see what was wrong; there was a fairly good-sized hole in Mori's right shoulder, bleeding dark blood sluggishly. The figure riding one of them jumped off and approached the Elder, pushing back the mask. She was a pretty girl, looking about in her teens. Dark locks of hair framed her pale, slender face. She was wearing a loose, dark blue breeches and a white long-sleeves shirt with a light-brown reed-like patter that covered her chest. There was a leather strap that hung over one should and ran down the front of her chest with a scabbard attached that held a dagger at her hip. Though at a distance, she seemed oddly familiar.

She approached Mori, and tenderly touched the wound in her shoulder. Mori drew back her lips in a snarl and growled, showing her long white fangs and a massive amount of pain in her eyes. The girl drew close to the wound, inspecting it. She then made a sour face and drew back shapely, a hand raised to her nose. It smelt awful, like rotting flesh. Moving the fur aside, she saw that the ragged flesh was blackened, as if it was rotting, like something evil had struck her there. Swallowing the nausea, she bent close to the wound, putting her lips to it. The two Western Shinma watched her as she turned her head to the side and spit out a mouthful of blood. "Spartoi, you don't think that could be?" Larva asked, letting his question unfinished.

Spartoi snorted. "It can't be." He said. "Miyu's dead. There would have been no way for her to survive with that wound. Anyway, why would she be attacking her own kind? But then again, she _was_ a vampire. They don't care whose blood they suck."

She did this two or three times, and Larva realized that she was sucking out the bad blood from Mori's wound. Who was this girl? "No, she not trying to hurt her. She's helping her." He took a step forward, almost unconsciously, and a twig under his foot snapped.

The girl tending Mori's wound suddenly jerked her head around, staring at the two Shinma. Her eyes flashed golden in the weak sunlight, giving off an eerie light of their own. She stood up; not breaking her gaze as her eyes held a look of spite. She spit out her last mouthful of blood, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Mori looked over her shoulder, growling at them. The girl reached up and pulled off the white fur cloak from her head, letting long dark hair spill onto her shoulders. It was Miyu. Alive, and running with the wolf pack. She turned away, and sung her legs over one of the white wolf's back. "Go back to your ship!" She called from over the river, and all four of them disappeared into the forest. 

"Spartoi," Larva said. "You go find the Third Layer. I'm going to follow them."

"Larva, be careful." Spartoi warned. "Miyu will probably try to take you back if you are caught off guard."

"And what about you, my friend?" Larva mused with a small smile. "Where will you be?"

"Hunting down a worthy opponent, as Cait Sith told us. And fear not; I will not return like the others. In fact, I will return with the head of one of Chinese Shinma, how does that sound?" Larva only nodded, his smile not faltering. He would really rather Spartoi not, but nothing could talk him out of it now that the idea was in his head. Spartoi laughed once and clapped Larva on the shoulder before setting off once again.

Larva turned to follow after Miyu and the wolves when he noticed something red glittered on the ground. If the world was not covered with snow, then Larva would not have noticed it, much less cared. It glimmered quiet brightly, standing out like freshly spilt blood on the white snow. But for some reason the flickering of the slight object beckoned to him, and before he knew it he was standing before it. It was a ribbon entwined tightly around a dark tree branch that was sticking out of the ground. He reached down and picked it up, letting it unwind itself from the thorny branch. For some reason it seemed very familiar… it looked like the ribbon that Miyu wore in her hair. It did make a little sense, since the first time he had seen Miyu since she awoke her hair was loose around her shoulders. This entire area seemed familiar, now that he looked around at it. In reality, it looked like the same landscape that he had been walking through for the last hour- a wide plain covered with snow. But there was still something about it, a clouded memory… He shook his head. No, that was ridiculous. He did not know why he did not set the ribbon back on the branch. Instead he tucked it into his sleeve and continued walking.

* * *

"Snow." Kia grumbled to herself. "Out of all the worlds in this realm, why did it have to be snow?" True, she did just fine when it came to climbing trees and fighting in branches or any other surface that she could get an easy hold on, but snow was different. The Wolfins and the Felins had fur and special pads to maintain a foot hold on the ice. She had slick scales, making it very difficult. Yoshi was no better under the same conditions. Avians were made for the air and from fighting among the thick branches of trees, not for an icy terrain. Maybe Spartoi was not as dumb as he appeared to be. Kia doubted it.

She had been crossing the snow-covered landscape with Aoi and Ranka since sunrise, and already she was exhausted. If she said it once, then she had said it a hundred times; Avians were not made for walking in the snow! But once again she bit back all the bitching that was itching to get back and resorted to grumbling under her breath to relieve some of the stress. And the situation did not get better when it started snowing again.

"Shh…" Ranka said suddenly, holding out an arm, stopping Aoi and Kia where they stood. "They come." Kia craned her neck up to get a better look, not seeing anything, but then gasped angrily when she saw the figure come up over the snowy rise.

"It's him." She hissed.

The large man stood out oddly in the white landscape; he was wearing a sort of light armor topped off with a bronze dragon wrapped around his shoulders the wind whipping his cape about. Spartoi; the Western Shinma she had fought against and was knocked out by in a most humiliating way. Aoi snorted. "I hate strangers wandering around our territory!" He scoffed.

Spartoi smirked, sizing each one of them up. When his eyes fell on Kia, he gave an evil sneer. "Well, well…if it isn't you…" He said. "My name is Spartoi!" He announced to the others. "I'm here to beat you! Now, who will it be…" His eyes fell on Aoi again. "I'd rather fight you than either of the broads…since I know that one of them is too weak to fight…"

Kia's temper raged up so hot that all the snowflakes around her melted. "Weak huh?" She shot back. "Five minutes, big guy, and I'll shove that weak straight up your ass!"

"Hold your temper, Chinese Shinma." Aoi said, but it was to little avail. "Very well," he said, turning back to Spartoi. "Let's see what you've got."

"Oh, no you don't!" Kia said, stepped forward to meet Aoi's eyes. It wasn't that hard, as they were both about the same size. "This jackass made a fool of me before. Let me have my revenge!" Aoi looked at her for a moment, then nodded. A triumphant grin split Kia's face as she turned back to Spartoi.

"Just you wait, Western bastard!" She said. "This time I'll rip you to shreds!"

Thunder growled overheard.

To be continued…


	16. Thunder Over Ice

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Thunder Over Ice

Goosebumps stood out over her skin, her toes were completely numb and her talons felt brittle, but Kia held her ground as the snow swirled and howled around her and the Japanese Shinma Samurai at her side. Aoi was standing so still that anyone else would have thought that he was frozen, but both of the Asian Shinma were staring straight at their one opponent; the enemy, a Western Shinma. Both of them were to face off against Spartoi.

Now than once within the last few minutes Kia wondered what fighting two and one would do for her honor, but then she would replay all the other events in her head once again of the past few days. First the Western Shinma, eight in all, had stormed this world completely unannounced and torn down the western Gate that would have originally kept them out. They walked onto the shores completely unhindered and killed the Elder of the First Layer, Osa, when he confronted them. Then they sent out two of their own to assult Miyu, which they did fairly well before Kia and her friends showed up to stop them. Not more than ten minutes after the Western Shinma had been driven off then all of them attacked Miyu at once and, even with the help of the Chinese Shinma, badly injured Miyu and killed her _Shimobe,_ one of their own, Larva.

Kia's blood grew hot temporarily. She remembered why they had not been able to do something to stop them. It was because this man, this _Western Shinma_ that stood before her had hit her in one of her most vulnerable spots; the hollow of her neck, sending her flying into a tree and rendering her unconscious when her head struck the trunk. That thought alone made her made, but what happened only mere hours after that incident made her temper flare almost uncontrollably. When they took Miyu's _Shimobe_'s body back to their ship, they did something to him that not only brought him back to life, but had somehow turned him against her and had him fatally wound the poor heartbroken girl. The though infuriated Kia. She knew of the bond between the two, she could feel it, it was so strong, and for him to turn on her like that, to betray her in one of her greater hours of need, especially after she had witnessed her beloved's death…

It was unforgivable. Kia's sword flashed into her hand with a crack of lightning as Aoi placed a hand on the hilt of his own katana. 

"Ooh…" Spartoi mused, taking note of Aoi's sword. "A katana, eh? So I have a samurai to deal with…And what of you, Chinese Shinma?" He called to Kia. "Two against one, huh? Isn't that against your honor?"

"Funny you should be talking about honor." Kia retorted, trying hard to keep her temper in check. It was actually turning out to being very painful. "Not after what I've witnessed these last few days. You and your people have a lot to learn about fair fighting."

The Western Shinma only snorted, ignoring her comment and returned to Aoi. "I already know your name, but you might your name be, Japanese Shinma?"

"I am Aoi." The samurai answered. "Prepare to die!" Kia elbowed him slightly and gave him her famous "the look", as her mother and brother called it. She had already told him earlier that morning that they needed the Western Shinma alive to find out what any real motives towards Miyu would be, and he understood (with a look of disappointment), but it did not hurt to remind him.

Spartoi scoffed at them. "Well then, I am honored to please you samurai. And you too, Chinese Shinma…imagine, the honor of defeating a member of royalty of your Clan for a second time…" Kia bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.

Behind the two warriors, the young woman in blue kimono robes laughed softly. "Aoi…it seems as if you have a good opponent." She giggled. Spartoi risked a quick glance at her. For some reason she seemed more dangerous than either of the Eastern Shinma standing before him although she showed none of their aggression.

"You're Spartoi, right?" Aoi called across the field. "Where is your weapon? I won't kill an unarmed man." Kia knew better. She had seen this guy fight before. He may seem slow, but he was _good._

"Don't worry about that, Aoi!" Spartoi shouted back and charged head-on to the Japanese Shinma. Aoi only lowered his head slightly, eyes closed. 

"How foolish." He said softly under his breath, his hand once again going to the hilt of his sword. In one quick movement the blade flashed from the scabbard just as Spartoi was nearly on top of him and the ringing sound of something striking against hard medal deafened all other sounds in the storm. 

"Aoi…" Came Spartoi's voice from behind, completely unhindered. Aoi blinked. Impossible! That was a direct hit! "Your thin blade won't even scratch my dragon armor. But that's not all…" The scales on his bronze dragon suddenly bristled, repeating a familiar move that Kia had seen before. "Dragon sword!" Spartoi called, and in a flash of light his heavy broadsword was in his hand, held high and ready to strike at the samurai.

Aoi was faster than he looked, possessing a speed that Spartoi could not match even with his head start. He was on his feet in one smooth motion, turning gracefully on his heel and had his own sword ready just as Spartoi made contact. Once again there was the clash of blades and in the dense snow Kia saw something fly away from the two other Shinma to land in the snow next to the robes of Ranka's kimono. It had happened so fast that even her keen eyes did not catch it, but she was soon gaping when she saw it was the severed blade of Aoi's katana sticking erect from the snow. It had been cute away from the hilt as cleanly as if it had been made of paper.

However, Aoi and Ranka kept their composers colder than the ice that surrounded them, Ranka still standing motionless and Aoi rising to tuck the hilt of his broken sword against his robes. Looking quite arrogant and proud of himself, Spartoi let out a victorious laugh and raised his sword in the air. "Looks like mine is bigger than yours!" He said. Standing close by, Kia had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from bursting out laughing herself, but still ended up snorting loudly through her nose.

The samurai only frowned, looking very un-amused. "How nice, Spartoi." He said coldly.

"Aoi," Spartoi mocked. "You're nothing without your sword." Aoi said nothing, but only touched at the jagged end of his blade gently. Then he opened his eyes again, shooting Spartoi a dangerous glare. Spartoi only pressed on. "Hey, samurai! How are you going to fight with a broken sword?"

"I'll show you." Aoi's voice was low, dangerous. Spartoi blinked, taking note of the tone in the Japanese Shinma's voice, but pressed on anyway.

He laughed once, raising his own sword again. "Prepare to die!" But instead of attacking, he only turned his body so the head of the bronze dragon was facing towards the small party of Asian Shinma. There was some type of reddish light glowing from within the depths of that cold metal mouth, and when Spartoi gave the booming command of "Dragon Fire!" a wave of searing hot fire exploded from the dragon's mouth and plowed at them through the blinding white snows. Aoi stepped aside to avoid the oncoming attack, but then there was another command to his side:

"Lancing talon!"

Thunder cracked loudly all around them and a bolt of white-hot lighting lanced out from the snow and collided with the ball of fire. With another crack, the fire disappeared as quickly as water hitting hot cement. Kia was still standing a short distance away, her hand outstretched and a look of caged fury marring her pretty features. "Hey muscle-head, you said _nothing_ about using your powers! Weapons only!"

"It's all right, Chinese Shinma." Aoi said. "Let him do what he wants. It just shows his weak spirit and lack of trust in his own self. Let me have a go first, and you'll get your justice later." Kia nodded, then stepped back.

"Right. But remember, don't kill him. We need these guys alive to see what in the hell they want with Miyu." This time it was Aoi who nodded in agreement and, clutching the hilt of his broken sword tighter, rushed at Spartoi first.

"You reckless Japanese fool!" Spartoi shot of Aoi, raising his sword above his head and leaping forward to meet the oncoming assult. Attacking him with a broken sword…what could the fool be thinking? It was…

The Western Shinma's mind went blank and his vision whirled as a sharp hot pain speared into his side, sending him stumbling to a halt. His teeth were clenched almost painfully but he still risked a look down to see what had happened. There was Aoi's sword – his full, unbroken katana blade – slicing neatly through his side, not enough to kill him, he knew that, but enough so he would be slowed down greatly, especially since it was bleeding. Any other time he would have been shocked beyond reason that he had been hit at all, but what surprised him most was that he had been struck by a whole sword that had been nearly broken in half not more than a few moments before. And the other half of the blade was still standing from the snow next to the kimono-clan woman, who had a most amused smile on her face, as if she had known that this was going to happen. Aoi quickly pulled the sword away from bleeding wound and shoved it back into its scabbard.

"The…the sword…" Spartoi gasped, taking a few shaky steps back and clutching at his wound. "Was…broken, wasn't it…?"

"My sword is alive." Aoi said calmly. "Your negligence has led to this."

Spartoi looked down at the hand that was clutched at the wound, looking at his hand quickly before he replaced it. "Damn…" He cursed. "Damned sword just like a lizard's tail…curse you!" The wound on his side definitely would not kill him, but the blood loss would certainly weaken him in time. However, he could still feel it running down his side, down to his thigh and soaking into the fabric of his pants. But, still…it was unforgivable! He clenched his fist in fury, feeling the flame of hate build up inside of him, and let out a loud battle cry. "Dragon Fire!" Once again the dragon wrapped around his shoulders breathed a wall of fire at Aoi, who dodged it easily once again.

"That cut looks deep. Why don't you just give up, Spartoi?" Aoi asked in a very calm, civilized tone. However, the look that flashed across Spartoi's face was one of utmost rage and insult.

"You…you are a samurai, but I have the heart of a knight! I won't give up! I will never give up! Become fire, my dragon!" The tone of urgency in his voice was impossible to miss, but now he was seeming desperate. 

This time, instead of the dragon merely breathing fire, it began to uncoil from Spartoi's shoulders and grow. Kia and Aoi's eyes widened. Not only was it growing, but it was also catching on fire; bright orange and yellow flames engulfed its entire body. It was not a bronze figure anymore. The creature was now living and breathing, a real dragon…or so it seemed. It was not really a dragon, more of a reflection, and therefore was not alive. Despite the fire, there was no living heat coming from it. Still, there was no telling of how something of that size could do to them. The outcome did not look pretty. She knew she had to do something.

"Stand back, samurai." Kia said, stepping forward. "Your sword won't help you much here. Let me take care of this monstrosity." A bellow filled their ears as the dragon reared its horny head, glaring down at them with cold eyes. "I can handle this." With another roar, the dragon sped towards them, speeding across the snow that melted at its touch. Kia stood, unblinking, then raised her massive broadsword, concentrating her powers. The air began to crackle and she could see Aoi's white hair and Ranka's black began to stand slightly on end. 

The air was filled with a blinding light as lightning lanced down from the sky and connected with the blade of Kia's sword, connecting her sword to the sky. The blade was almost too bright to look at as it absorbed the power of the lightning, filling the air with almost a stifling power. "All right, you bastard!" Kia yelled at Spartoi from over the roar of thunder. "Bring it on!"

"Go, my dragon!" Spartoi yelled back, once again thrusting his hand forward. The dragon picked up speed and power as it raised its horned head and bellowed before charging at the Asian Shinma with enough power to destroy a mountain. Kia stood her ground, talons planted firmly in the snow, sword poised and read. The massive dragon, burning bright with incinerating fire, opened it massive jaws in an effort to swallow them whole…

"Thunder Wing!"

Kia made one powerful down-stroke with her sword as the dragon was on top of them, and with another crack, the blade of lightning sliced through the dragon's head straight down the middle, but it did not stop there. With a wild howl the dragon kept goin, pushing itself further along despite the fact that the sword continued to slide through it as easily as a razor blade through paper until it had been completely severed in half. The lighting and light of the long blade faded and then died all together before it thudded down heavily to Kia's side. She was breathing hard. Since snow was almost her opposite element, it had taken more out of her than she thought it would have. There was very little electricity in snow to draw her full power from.

Spartoi blinked, utterly dumfounded. He had rarely ever seen that type of power used before, and since he had very little magic in his blood, it made the sight all the more awesome. But the feeling died quickly and he grinned, much to Kia's confusion when she saw the wicked smirk break on his face.

There was a roar behind her and she ducked just in time as something dove at her, knocking off her feet and sending her rolling across the snow. "What the…" She looked up, tearing away the snow that was covering her eyes, to see that it was Spartoi's dragon that had attacked. Actually, it was one of the dragons that she herself had created when she split it in half. No, not one of two new dragons; it was only half of the original dragon! Kia made a disgusted face. "Ugh…that's really…really gross!" She spat as she jumped up to her feet again, looking around for the other half (shudder) of the dragon. Her jaw dropped. It was right behind Ranka and Aoi.

"Look out!" She called out, unleashing a small bolt of lighting that struck the dragon in the eye, sending it falling back. Kia did her best to run through the snow to reach them as the other half of the dragon slammed into the snow behind her, kicking up snow that obscured her vision temporarily. Luckily for them, apparently only attacking with one half of your body was very hard to do. She reached the Japanese Shinma just as the dragon was still trying to push itself up onto its one leg with its one arm. "Listen, it might be better if you two get out of here." Kia panted when she was within an ear's shot of them. "I can get rid of these things, but it requires a lot of power and you two might get caught up in it. And don't look at that way, Aoi. You can fight a Western Shinma later, just let me do this. Can you imagine what will happen if those things get loose in the Realm?"

"Very well." Was Rank's calm answer. "Just be careful, Kia. And I _know_ your kind. Even when you say you're going to keep it clean, you and your friends always end up leaving a smoking crater or three in the ground somewhere." She finished the last part with an amused smile. Kia laughed nervously, scratching at the back of her head. It was true, actually. With a nod, Ranka and Aoi stepped through newly created Gates and disappeared. Kia hardened her features and stomach and turned back to Spartoi.

The two halves of the dragon had returned to him, standing on either side of their master. Spartoi was looking quite cocky with a look on his face that plainly said "Well, that little stunt you did didn't help before, so what are you going to do now?" Kia knew, though, what she had to do. She really did not want to, she was tired enough as it was, but it had to be done.

"I'm waiting, Chinese Shinma." Spartoi called to her. He was still clutching at the wound at his side, blood soaking his clothing and beginning to touch the white snow, but he still looked prepared for anything she was going to throw at him. Something told Kia that he was not ready for what she really was about to release on him.

Kia sheathed her sword, a movement alone that seemed to take the Western Shinma by surprise. If that threw him off, then he would not be ready for the next thing, but it had to be done. Taking a deep breath, she raised her arms into the air. _"O great God of thunder, lend me thy power. Behold thy shining feathers and thy glorious wing. It is thou, ruler of lightning and tyrant of the storm, whose wings darken the skies and blinking of thy fierce eye that brings the lightning and voice that calls the thunder, are my true master. Touch me with thy talons of heaven and allow me to channel thy power! Gryphon Wing!"_

Thunder roared and the sky writhed as lightning lanced down on them, raining down on them from every direction to a common point, just behind Kia. The lightning took the shape of an animal, rearing, growing; Spartoi could make out the head of an eagle with protruding ears and sharp talons, but the back was that of some type of cat, complete with powerful hindquarters and lashing tail. Great wings unfolded from its back and when it opened its beak, thunder growled from within. It was a gryphon, a real gryphon, and so large that it could step on his dragon as if it were no more than an insect. The whole creature glowed a brilliant bright blue, but Kia was surrounded in a deep purple aura, the same as the gryphon's eyes. Then she moved her hand, pointing to towards the frightened Western Shinma and the dragons.

With a bellow that made all other thunder sound like a whisper, the gryphon pushed itself onto its hind legs, standing up taller, then dove. It crashed into the ground, making the dragons evaporated at the touch into nothingness. Spartoi closed his eyes, waiting for something to happen; to fall, to be filled with a terrible pain, to die…

Nothing happened.

In fact, the world was completely silent with only the sounds of the howling snowstorm to be heard. Spartoi waiting still. And waited. Kia stood opposite of him, poised, just as she was. Neither one of them moved, but as the long moments dragged by Kia's face slowly slid into one of confusion and utmost embarrassment. Apparently what ever it was the was supposed to happen did not. Spartoi began to laugh loudly. "Is that it? Is that the best you could pos…"

The ground began to tremble, to quake, gently at first but then growing more and more violent until neither Shinma could seem to keep their footing under them. The ice that covered the ground began to groan loudly, but the groan grew into a roar before the ice and ground broke. Large chunks of ice jetted up from the ground all around them , showering them with snow and dirt as they rose into the air. Not only that, but the ground itself began to rock then bucked wildly before it split open with a sound that sounded like cracking bones. The earth below their feet had opened up into gaping caverns fifty feet down, ending with jagged pieces of rock and ice. Kia lost her footing and hit the ice with a hard thud and began to slide down a slope into the cavern at a frightening speed. Just before she fell she kicked out her legs and caught herself by digging her claws into the rocky ice, stopping her descent.

"Oh man…oh, ma-a-an…" She grumbled to herself as she tried to pull herself back up. She knew that she should have not done that. It was all because she had been tired when she did that move. If she had all her energy then she would have had better control over it, but this was no time to think about where she went wrong. She had to see if Spartoi was all right.

With a grunt she pulled herself out of the ditch that she had fallen into and quickly scanned the landscape for the Western Shinma. The most violent of the shaking had stopped, but the earth was still moving, ice still being pushed up and the caverns deepening. She spotted him immediately. He had been knocked down as well, trying hard to keep himself up by holding onto a chunk of ice for dear life. Just below him was one of the gaping holes. Kia gritted her teeth and pulled herself up and, tripping slightly and slipping here and there from the ice, ran over to him.

Spartoi knew he was in trouble. The canyon below him was so deep that blackness obscured his vision before he could see the bottom, but he did not want to think about what he would land on if he were to fall. Right now it seemed as if he had a good hold on the rock he was clinging to, but it was made of ice and it was giving. It had become slick between his fingers, making his grip slacken. He had been trying to climb up the side of the slope, but it too was made of ice and was too slick to provide for much of a foothold. He had to pull himself up out of the hole, or else it was just a matter of time before…

From up above there was a shower of snow and someone fell beside him, rushing past him on the ice, and finally falling below him. It was the bird-girl, who had apparently been running but had slipped on a patch of ice and slipped. She cried out as she fell and Spartoi's head jerked back as she caught onto his cloak. The fabric tore, echoing off the walls of the ice canyon, and she fell a little further before she caught hold of his boots and stayed there. 

"A fine mess." He called down to her. "This is all your fault you know. You and that stupid gryphon…" He paused for a moment, thinking. "What are you doing down there, anyway?"

"Believe me, that was not supposed to happen, and I was going to help you but I…slipped."

"Not cut out for ice are you?"

"Shut up!" Kia snapped up and with a quick movement climbed down up Spartoi's back, sharp claws racking against his skin.

"Hey!" He called up to her as she disappeared over the ledge. "That hurt!" There was no answer. Spartoi frowned. He should have known…she was just going to let him hang there and fall when his support gave out. Just what he expected from them…Perhaps that was why he was so surprised when he saw her head poke out at him from over the ledge again, and then extended her hand down to him. "You…" He was cut off when the block of ice he was hanging to cracked and broke away, causing him to fall a little before he found another one to hold onto.

"Are you going to grab my hand or not?" She called down. "Hurry up, I'll pull you out!"

The ice under his fingers groaned again, but he peered up at her suspiciously. "How do I know that you're not going to let me drop?"

Irritation crossed her face. "You're just going to have to trust me!" Still, he hesitated. Kia gritted her teeth. "Fine, if you're going to be that way…"

Her image shimmered and then changed. Spartoi blinked. He was no longer looking at a Chinese Shinma. Now he was looking at a human girl. Kia's wings, the markings on her face and hard, slit-pupil yellow eyes, scaly skin and long black claws were all gone. Black eyes and smooth skin had replaced them all. "There! Now will you grab my hand now that I look like this?" Spartoi tightened his jaw, reached up, and grabbed her outstretched hand.

Straining hard, Kia dug her heels into the snow, clasping at the Western Shinma's arm with both of her hands, and with all her strength, made an effort to pull him up. "Come on, big guy, you've got to help me here!" She said, her voice tight. Spartoi grabbed onto her arms too, doing his best to climb up the slopes of the ice as she pulled. Finally, after what seemed to be hours, he crested the edge and flew forward as his feet hit stable ground, falling next to Kia on the ground, breathing hard. 

For several moments neither of them spoke as they struggled to catch their breath. It was Kia who spoke first. "Well, I'll certainly be feeling that tomorrow."

"Why did you do it?" Spartoi asked, pushing himself to his elbows. Kia was laying on her back, her arms crossed over her eyes. She still was in her human form.

"Do what?"

"Save me."

"Oh…I don't know. I couldn't let you fall, now, could I?" She removed her arms and gave him an evil half-grin. "Now it's my turn to ask a question. Why did you not grab my hand until I looked like this?"

"Oh…I, uh…that is…"

Kia laughed. "It's because of the whole appearance thing that keeps our Clans separated, that's why. When we first met, you immediately feared and hated us when you saw me and my friends. But when I look…normal…you trusted me. Could you tell what Clan I was from if you saw me like this when we first met?"

"Well…no."

"Do you see the point I'm trying to make then?"

Spartoi stayed quiet for a few moments, turning over everything that Kia had said. Then he answered, slowly, "It's what we look like that makes our Clans hate each other."

She shrugged. "Yeah, I guess that's it. That, and a few other things, but that is one of the reasons." Spartoi smiled broadly. He looked proud of himself. Any other time Kia would have said that she would reward him with a treat, but she did not want to ruin this moment of peace. She did, however, sit up sharply when a mind-voice broke her thoughts.

Kia! Came a sharp voice inside her head. Something's happened! Get back here now!

Coming Yosh. Kia returned to her normal form and stood up. "Well, Spartoi, I can't say it hasn't been fun, because it hasn't. But I'm needed elsewhere, so, _adieu_." Kia turned to leave into the storm.

"Wait!" Spartoi called out. Kia stopped in her tracks. "This was supposed to be a battle to the death, and you had the upper hand. Why didn't you finish it?"

Kia still did not move, the wind blowing her dark hair in shimmering ripples. "Let's leave it at this." She said. "Under the first wave of attacks, you were the only one who thought it was unfair that Miyu was outnumbered. That earns some repent." Kia turned to look over her shoulder, and she smiled; it was not cold, it was not mocking; it was a real, friendly smile. "We shall combat again sometime soon, Western Shinma Spartoi." With that, the white snow washed over her and she was gone.

* * *

"Ah jeez, Yosh." Kia said, massaging her temples. "From the way you made it sound, I thought you guys were like in some mortal peril or something."

"Well, not mortal, but it's almost as important." Yoshi said quickly. He sounded like as if he was in a very good mood. "Miyu's awake! Mori sent a messenger just a little while ago!"

Kia's head snapped up. "Really? Are you serious? Are we allowed to see her?" Her brother nodded excitedly. "Well then, let's go!" The eight Chinese Shinma, the two Avians, three Felins, and the three Wolfins disappeared into the trees, heading towards the Fifth Layer.

* * *

"Miyu!" Kia and Tacha ran towards her, and Kia embraced Miyu tightly against her breast. "I'm so glad you're all right! We weren't sure if you had lived or not!"

"I can't breath…" Miyu's voice was muffled against Kia's chest. Kia's embrace loosened with a mummered apology, allowing Miyu to step back.

It was Tacha's turn for a hug, but she stepped away sooner, keeping her black paw-like hands on Miyu's shoulders. "The Elders wouldn't let us follow them into the Fifth Layer until after Yui had restored you, and things got so bad for a while we weren't sure if you pulled through or not." She sighed, then smiled her bright, broad smile. The light that filtered in through the trees reflected off a few small tears that brimmed the Felin's eyes. "I'm just so glad to see you're all right!"

"That's a new look for you, isn't it?" Ryuko asked, taking her new clothing. "Looking pretty sharp!"

"Oh, this," Miyu looked over her attire as if it were the first time she had really looked at it closely. "One of the past vampires wore it for a while. It's all I have until I can get a new yukata or something."

"I can probably repair it for you." Ryuko offered. "Out of all our years in high school, Yosh and I are the only ones who have ever taken a Home Living course. Yoshi will probably just end up sewing it to his own fingers, anyway."

"It's sad that you can sew better than the girls!" Yoshi sneered.

"It's sad that the girls can't even sew at all!" Ryuko retorted.

Tacha put a hand on Miyu's shoulder again. There was a look of seriousness in her deep green eyes. "How are you holding up? With this whole Western Shinma and… well, the…"

"Betrayal?" Kia said suddenly, her voice having a razor-sharp edge to it. Tacha gave her a look that could have stopped a charging elephant in its tracks, but Miyu only shook her head.

"Don't worry. I'm doing just fine right now. I mean, it's not like I'm lonely or anything. I have all of you and Mori and her children, not to mention I had a feeling situations would come down to this one day. I've always known that that the Western Shinma had a problem with Larva staying with me, so it was just a matter of time before…" she was unable to finish her sentence, and just buried her face in her hands before any of them could see the tears. "Oh, God!" Miyu cried. "I hate them! I hate all of them!"

Tacha held Miyu again, allowing the smaller girl to cry out in ragged sobs against her bosom. Kia hugged Miyu too so she was being held in between the two Chinese Shinma women. Ryuko and Yoshi's bickering came to a clean halt, and all three men looked solemnly at the ground, ears drooping. Miyu was softly chanting through her sobs, "I hate them, I hate them, I hate them! I wish they were all dead, every last one of them!"

"I know, honey, I know." Tacha said soothingly, stroking Miyu's hair. "You have every right to after what they did to you."

"What did I do?" She moaned. "What the hell did I do to make them hate me so much? They acted like I did it on purpose!"

"They just don't understand." Yoto's grave voice actually had a gentle tone intermingled in it. "Out of all three Shinma Clans, the Westerns have always had the hardest time seeing that we're all the same. For them, it's our names that keeps us isolated from each other."

"Larva was one of the very few who was able to see past that." From once since they had first met, Yoshi sounded serious.

Kia pulled back from the group hug. Miyu's sobs had now lost their strength. "Miyu, Larva cared about you too much to suddenly turn on you like that. We could see it in his eyes. They did something to him. They had to have."

"What do you think it was?" Tacha asked.

"I'm not too sure, but I think it could have been Bleeding Amnesia."

There was a faint gasp among the Chinese Shinma, their eyes widening. "If it is," Ryuko said. "We have to call them on it. Honor is one of the most important things to a Shinma, and if we call dishonor, than we may be able to snap some sense back into them."

Kia nodded. "Right. Ryuko, you'll have to help me on that. You know more on Puppetering than I do."

"When can we get to the ship? We need Mori's permission or we can get into big trouble."

"Actually," Miyu said, wiping the last of the tear stains from her face. "Mioshi, Okkoto and I were going to do a surprise attack on the ship. Cait Sith was after something that Mori was supposed to be guarding, and when she tried to get it back from him, he attacked and wounded her. She fears that the wound will eventually kill her, and we were going to seek our revenge."

"Perfect." Ryuko sneered.

"Cait Sith…" Kia hissed. "That is one man who I think does not have to be spared. He means trouble, and I mean big trouble. Better to do away with him as soon as possible."

CAIT SITH…A LITTLE WELP WITH VIOLET HAIR AND DARK SKIN? The group of Shinma turned to see Mioshi and Okkoto step out of the shadows of the forest, their snowy white fur standing out starkly in the darkness. 

"That's him." Miyu said. "Why?"

THAT'S THE ONE THAT INJURED MOTHER. IT IS HE WHOSE BONES WE MUST CRUNCH FOR A SUITABLE REVENGE. WOLFSISTER, WILL YOU GO TO THE SHIP OF THE WESTERN SHINMA WITH US AND EXCHANGE HIS BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD THAT MOTHER LOST?

"So in other words you want her to go the Westerner's ship and kick Cait Sith's scrawny little ass for what he did to Mori?" Tacha said. "Are you sure it's all right for her to go alone?"

"I can do it." Miyu said, and everyone gave her a surprised look. "I want to do it, despite of the resent events."

NO ONE HAS EVER MADE A FOOL OF THE ELDERS AND HAS GOTTEN AWAY WITH IT. Okkoto growled. THEY WILL NOT GET AWAY WITH THIS. WE NEVER EVEN HAD A CHANCE TO FIGHT BACK WHEN KINAMI FELL.

"They do have a point." Miyu said. "I would like to taste his blood as well. Will you guys join us for what they did to you in the first offense."

Yoshi grinned his wide, goofy grin, but this one had a coat of ice over it. "I think so too. It's time to open up a can of whoop-ass on their…" He paused, the "I screwed up look" appearing on his face. "Butts."

* * *

Larva stood in the shadows silently, watching and listening to the entire conversation. The Chinese Shinma were back with Miyu and were now planning an attack against the ship. But not against all of them…against Cait Sith. But why him? He had thought that it would have been against himself for what he did to them, but this seemed to be much worse. That meant that there was definitely something up with the Quarl, and it was nothing good.

But there was something else about the conversation that was even more unsettling that the news of the attack. When he saw Miyu break down like that, into tears in front of these people that she had just met a little while ago, it stirred something in him that he did not know existed for the vampire. Sympathy, and a deep feeling of guilt. There was also something else, a brief flash of pain and sorrow through his mind that he had never known to exist. Was it because of her? Was it _for_ her? He did not know. 

There were more important matters to deal with now. Keeping to the shadows, Larva turned back and headed in the direction of the Ghost Ship to warn the others.

To Be Continued…


	17. Raid in the Night

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Raid in the Night

They stood at the edge of the forest, unmoving for several moments, looking beyond the trees, beyond the shattered ruins of the Torii Gate, beyond the shores where the waves assaulted the jagged black rocks, to the Ghost Ship of the Western Shinma. Miyu sat on Mioshi's back, red mask on her brow and curved spear in hand. Just the sight of the huge, hulking ship made her blood boil and the scar on her shoulder throb with reborn pain. They were going to pay. All of them were going to pay.

Okkoto came up next to his brother followed closely by the Chinese Shinma. A few of them were holding different weapons other than their usual swords. Kia was holding a longbow that was as long as she was tall with a quiver of arrows at her hip. Tacha had a thick bamboo staff that she was using as a walking stick and Yoshi had a battle-ax with a massive half-moon blade in his hand. His sister whispered something to him and with a grumble and a soft glow of red light, the ax returned to the form of Yoshi's sword with the curved extensions off the blade. "Are you sure you want to go through with this, Miyu?" Ryuko asked, not taking his eyes off the ship.

Miyu nodded. "They will pay. I will go first, and then you five can join five minutes after I've boarded the ship."

"Five minutes... that's a long time to be in battle." Tacha said, shifting her staff from one hand to the other. Miyu only remained silent.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold." Yoto said gravely, and the air around him seemed to chill.

Okkoto bared his teeth and moved his head so it was resting behind his brother's ears. Both wolves began to growl, a deep rumble and as loud as the thunder. Miyu realized that the Chinese Shinma were growling as well. They sounded like massive trucks revving their engines, ready to tear up the road. Or in this case, getting ready to attack. Miyu felt as if she wanted to join them. TAKE HEED, WOLFSISTER. Okkoto advised. Again Miyu remained silent, but smiled coldly enough to make any of them proud, scratching Okkoto on his muzzle. Miyu pulled down the red mask over her face and flipped her hair and white wolf-pelt cloak back over her shoulder. The three High Shinma emerged from their hiding place in the forest and moved towards the ship.

* * *

The wolves were out tonight; Pazusu could feel them, and they were close. Something must have happened today, something that would want to make them come here. But there really was no reason to worry. There was no way for them to get onto the ship, and Mori had specifically told the Chinese Shinma to stay put in the lower Layers. They had not, though. About as much as the Western Shinma had. Spartoi and Water Lipper both fought against them over the past two days, the two women as they had put it, but the Chinese Shinma had let them live. A cat always plays with a mouse before killing it, Pazusu reminded himself.

That was not the worst of it. As Larva and Spartoi described when they returned, Miyu was alive and was adopted by Mori to be part of their family. That did not surprise him very much, especially when Lemunia returned yesterday saying something about how Yui got away into the Fifth Layer. What had horrified Pazusu more the most was the wound on Lemunia's torso. Though he inquired the boy about it, Lemunia only took one look at Cait Sith and retreated sulkily into his cabin, as if he was afraid of something.

Cait Sith... he was yet another issue that was beginning to concern Pazusu. The man had always been a little on the odd side, always silent and segregated from social groups, but it seemed more and more as if being in the Japanese Shinma Realm was bringing out the worst in him. He was not as confusing as Mori, the Elder of the Fifth Layer. She was supposed to be dead. Her even saw her body, the shimmering black fur, dead and her pelt mounted on the wall of a fellow lord's greeting chamber. The only pieces that he could not fit together was that the body seemed much smaller than he had last saw her alive, about as big of her white-furred children...

A lowly howl trailed across the air on the salty sea wind. Everybody on the deck went ridged and froze, and it even drew out those who were below. Nothing moved. It even seemed as if the waves that were just crashing against the hull a few moments ago were now still. Silence, stillness. "Lord Pazusu..." Carlua began to speak.

He hushed her immediately, holding a hand out. Everybody listened, but heard nothing. "They're coming." Pazusu said. "Lemunia and Carlua, go back down below deck. Everybody else, stay on total alert." The remaining six Western Shinma, Larva, Spartoi, Water Lipper, Amy, Night Gia and Cait Sith, joined Pazusu on the ship's starboard, looking over the rail, beyond the ruins of the Torii Gate and into the shadowed forest of the Japanese Shinma Realm. For a few long minutes, nothing moved.

They burst from the trees like white arrows, so suddenly that most of the Western Shinma jumped. Two white wolves, Mori's children Mioshi and Okkoto, racing across the dark, burnt ground, over the rubble of the Gate, racing towards the ship. They ran along the outside of the forest, then rounded around and over the ruins of the Torii Gates. "They should not be too much a threat." Water Lipper said, preparing her magic. "Let me take care of them." The water near the shore swelled and pushed up into a narrow yet strong wave that rushed towards the wolves. They were fast; compared to their speed, the wave was only wind compared to lightning. "It's not just them." She said, taking a step back as if surprised. "Someone else is there, too, on one of the wolf's backs....a...girl?" They all looked back as the wolves continued to close in. Sure enough there was a small, human-like figure sitting on one of the wolf's back, wearing a red mask and a cloak made of white fur, holding a spear in her hand. She looked directly at the ship, raised the spear and pointed it at the bow of the massive ship, and the wolves turned their direction to a cliff-like extensions off the jagged shore that was much closer to the ship's hull than any of them had realized before. If they were given a good running start like they had now, then it would not be any trouble for the girl to get a grip on the cracked wood of the old ship and climb up.

"Miyu..." The name escaped on Pazusu's exhaling breath. "Spartoi, Larva, is that her?" The two younger men nodded at the same time, not daring to take their eyes away from the High Shinma as they closed in on the ship. The girl was strong. To recover from a wound like that in a day and then attack the base of her enemies the same night... Miyu had been greatly underestimated. And the Chinese Shinma were not far behind. 

"Water Lipper, stop them. Now." Cait Sith actually sounded frantic. Pazusu wondered why. He could be the cause of the attack, Pazusu though. Water Lipper hesitated for a second. "Now, damn it!" Cait Sith snapped. Water Lipper flinched at his words and threw another waterspout at the wolves, but it again missed due to their speed and the clumsy weaving of the spell. The water sprite gathered her baring and again threw a waterspout at them. The wolves dropped as the ground under their swift paws dipped sharply downward, jumped a gorge, and then raced up the cliff. Miyu pushed her feet up under her and began to stand on the Shinma's back as they closed in on the haul of the ship. the wolf under her looked as if he would not be able to stop himself as he advanced to the end of the cliff and was running to risk of falling off, but as he reached the lip he dug all four paws into the ground. The driving force of his sudden halt gave Miyu enough force to jump from his back and reach the ship's haul on the starboard side, close to the bowsprit, with no problem. She dug the spear in her hand into the rough wood of the ship, giving herself a foot hold before climbing the haul like a cat up a tree.

Spartoi gave a surprised cry as Miyu seemed to appear out of no where in front of him, perched on the rail of the ship, her dagger pulled from her scabbard and in her hand. They were able to see the mask that she was wearing clearly for the first time. It was all red and looked more like an African mask than the traditional Japanese-style masks that a Samurai would wear. The eyes and mouth were rings of dark yellow and were black on the inside, a sinuous line in the shape of a "v" dipped down between the two eyes. It was the Wolfsister mask- a vampire from the far, far past, long before any of them were born, had worn that mask when she lived with the Elder and Sentinels of the Fifth Layer too for a few thousand years before she ever bound to another Shinma for her _Shimobe_. Spartoi drew his own sword from the dragon armor and brought it down onto the petite figure, but she was too fast. She merely moved to the side as the massive blade crashed down into the wood of the railing, shattering it to splinters. The big man blinked and looked at Miyu, merely perched on the railing in an almost comical fashion before striking again. This time she jumped down from the rail, pushing off of him by driving a foot into his side so he was now on the edge of the deck, and slashed at him with her dagger. Metal sang out upon metal, and Spartoi lost his balance and fell off the ship.

Miyu turned her attention fast on the other Western Shinma and began to charge the other Western Shinma. A fireball exploded just behind her, just where she had been only a heartbeat before. Another one exploded more closely behind her; she could feel the flames lick her heels as she almost lost her footing. Tucking her head to her chest, she did roll on her shoulder but in the fashion so that she was on her feet again immediately and was face to face with Night Gia. She brought up her dagger just in time to block a blow from his rapier but then gained the offense her herself again quickly. She was so quick with the strikes from her dagger that Night Gia had a hard time blocking himself from the blade. Miyu rotated the dagger in her hand, twisted her wrist, and made one final slash at the rapier. The blades hissed as they touched each other and half of Night Gia's thin blade flew away behind Miyu. He looked at his rapier blade- what was left of it, anyway- and saw that the severed end of the blade looked melted and scorched. His blade had been crafted from steal. Then, what was hers made out of...?

There was another blaze of light as fire blazed just to her right. Instead of dodging to the side, she jumped straight up and landed on the lowest hanging rigging on the closest mast. She continued to the jump from rigging to rigging until she was a good seventy feet above the deck. And there she stood, looking down at the Western Shinma, unmoving.

Fire exploded to her right, making her duck into the shadows of the masts. Then it happened again, closer this time. Miyu pressed herself against the mast, trying to keep some distance between her and the attacks. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she felt another one coming. Sheathing her dagger, she jumped up as one more ball of fire erupted just under the soles of her feet. She caught hold of another rung and pulled herself up to escape the burning wood and flying splinters and that part of the mast crashed down to the lower decks. "You fool!" She heard a voice from below. "You're going to destroy the ship! Let me take care of her!" There was another stir of power and Miyu turned around in time to duck as black, screaming wraiths missed her by inches. She was face-to-face with Cait Sith.

"Don't you people never die!" He snarled at her, ready to throw another attack at her again. Miyu pulled her dagger again as the cat wraiths closed in on her and slashed at them as if she were swatting at a fly. With mangled screams of pain and agony the wraiths fell away, all torn to dozens of pieces. 

"Bastard." Miyu spat at the Quarl. "You'll pay for what you you've done." Her lips were pulled away from her teeth, her small fangs exposed, and giving Cait Sith such a look that it sent shivers down his spine. Her grip on the dagger tightened and she lunged at Cait Sith, the blade that could eat its way throw steel missing his ear by inches. He extended his hand and in a flash of dark light he had a sword of his own, one that was as black as death. With a clash of medal that made the onlooker's ears ring painfully, like every bad musical note in the world being struck at once, the blades caught and held, straining. Miyu gritted her teeth, not knowing if she should push on or pull away. Fighting with weapons was new to her. Sensing her confusion, Cait Sith took the opportunity to slowly remove one hand from the hilt of his sword, create a small ball of energy in it, and thrust it into Miyu's stomach.

Miyu felt like an iron fist had been driven into her stomach as all the air left her lungs in a rush. Her hold on Cait Sith's blade slackened but her vision was clear enough to know to retreat when the black sword was brought down on her, cutting the air so sharply that it whistled shrilly. 

Miyu jumped out of the way of the falling blade, missing it by inches as it slammed down into the wood where she once stood. There was a loud crack as the sword bit deep into the wooden column, splitting it nearly down the middle and almost the whole way through. With a loud, painful-sounding groan and a show of splintering wood, the severed half of the mast broke off and swung down, being held on by a few thick splinters. Miyu caught onto a lengthy piece of rope that was hanging down the from sails high above and used it to swing to the next mast over. The rough wood bit hard into her feet, but she maintained a strong hold on the rope and her knife with one hand as she stared at Cait Sith, breathing hard.

Down below on the decks, the other Western Shinma shifted uneasily. Even after what Spartoi and Larva had told him, he did not want to admit that Miyu was alive. But now, here she was, moving with as much speed and agility as if she had never even been touched. Even if they ran now, she would chase them down like a wolf on a wounded stag. Not bothering to avoid the rain of splinters, he moved slightly towards Larva. "Larva, I want you to get below deck with Lemunia and Carlua. There's no telling what she might try to pull."

"Master Pazusu, I don't think she's here for me." Larva said back in an equally hushed tone. "I think that if she would try to take me back, then she would have tried to do so already. Like I told you, I followed her today and heard her conversing with the Chinese Shinma. She's after Cait Sith, and Cait Sith alone. He took something from them earlier today, and injured Mori in the process. I think the only thing she's after is what Cait Sith stole from them today." Larva knew it was useless. Pazusu would not believe that story. Then he bit his own tongue. Why should he believe that story? Why should he believe that she truly was here to only steal what ever it was the Cait Sith had taken from them? More importantly, why was he defending her? But his attention was ripped away from his own thoughts when Miyu, at last, spoke, addressing Cait Sith directly.

"You know what I am here for, Quarl." Her voice was audible enough from that height for everyone below to hear what she was saying. "So you might as well hand the seal over so there will be no further strife."

"And why would I?" Cait Sith shot back. "Just you wait a little longer, vampire, and I'll be more than happy to give you exactly what you deserve!"

"The seal…" Pazusu repeated softly. Then it all made sense. How could he have been so blind? If Cait Sith had the seal, then that could only mean that…

His thoughts were cut short by a new voice off to his side: "Miyu, it's in the cabin!"

Larva tried to turn to see who was at the source of the voice, but a sharp pain jolted up his arm as someone grabbed his wrist, twisted it and pinned his whole arm against his back. His shoulder was turned almost completely around, rendering his motionless. Off to his right he heard Water Lipper cry out as she too was held captive with the cat-girl standing behind her, pinning her arms behind her and forcing her to the ground. Then a sickening realization sunk in; it was a full-out ambush. While Miyu had distracted them, the Chinese Shinma had moved in and now he and all his comrades were captured and completely at their enemy's mercy. A new rage flared inside of him, one that he had not felt since he had encountered her after he had awoken on the ship.

Beyond the cat-girl stood the bird girl with some type of golden compass floating about her hand, the shade-shaped needle pointing towards the lower cabins of the ship. There was a sloshing sound coming up from behind her; Spartoi had pulled himself up the ship of the ghost ship from where Miyu had knocked him over. Kia glanced over her shoulder, reached behind her to grasp Spartoi's head in one of her large, scaly hands, gave a firm push. With a strangled cry, Spartoi lost his grip and fell off the edge of the ship to the waters below again.

At the sound of Kia's voice, Miyu looked away from Cait Sith for that one split second to see what the commotion was about. She could not help but smile under the crude mask that she wore. As promised, all of her friends were now on the decks of the Western ship, and it looked as if they successfully had all of the Western Shinma subdued, arms pinning firmly behind their backs, leaving them immobile and helpless. Verde was holding Larva, Ryuko was holding down Night Gia, Tacha Water-Lipper and Kitsune had Amy. Apparently it was Kitsune's first meeting with the incredibly feminine-looking man. She even risked a quick chest-grope just to make sure. All and all, it was a pretty satisfying site. She just wished that Larva did not look like he was in so much pain.

There was a quick movement just in front of her and she turned just in time to see that she was now face-to-face with Cait Sith, his short-sword brandished in front of his face. With a snarl, he made a slashing motion at Miyu's face with it. Miyu gasped and stepped back just in time to avoid what would have been a very nasty wound. There was a soft hiss as the medal of the blade as it grazed the wood of her mask. The bottom half of the mask fell away, clean-cut at the center of the bridge of Miyu's nose, to the decks below. That had been close; too close. Miyu felt something warm and wet trickle down the side of her face, and she realized that she had been cut. It was a paper-thin nick of the blade on her left cheek, just below her eye, but enough to let a steady trickle of blood roll down her cheek and drip off her fay-like chin. Then she reacted in a way that was totally unexpected to the Quarl. She smiled, a grin so cold that it would have frozen the spine of anything mortal, reached up to gently wipe away the blood from the cut. Then she reached out and smeared the blood under Cait Sith's right eye. "Impressive."

"You will pay, vampire!" Cait Sith screamed at her, making another slash at her with the dagger. This one was messy and ill planned, though, and he nearly overbalanced with the amount of force her put behind the attack as Miyu merely stepped aside. Cait Sith caught as balance just as he was about to pitch forward, regaining his footing on the same wooden beam that Miyu was standing on, just a few feet away from him, her own blade poised. He did, however, fall when Yoshi came barreling in on him from above, knocking him clean off the beam and sent him falling to the ground.

The bat-Chinese Shinma stared down at Cait Sith, who was lying on the decks below them. Crumpled yes, but hurt, no, and far from dead. "How's that, Quarl?" Yoshi yelled down at him. "Try that again, and I'll fucking kill you, you got that?"

"Yoshi…" Miyu felt astounded. She had not heard Yoshi use that language before – usually it was his sister – but he had seemed angry that she had been cut. It was far from serious. Yoshi turned around to look at her, his red eyes wild.

"Miyu…he…he didn't hurt you too badly, did he?" He asked. He sounded almost panicked.

"No Yoshi, I'm fine. It's just a scratch."

"Yoshi!" Kia yelled up at them from below. "The seal's in the cabin! I don't know which one, but it's there!" There was a slight movement to her left and Kia turned to see Pazusu moving towards her. She thrust a taloned hand out at him. "Stop! Don't move…" She hissed dangerously. "One wrong move, and you'll be having to deal with quite a bit of dislocated shoulders and broken arms tonight." As if to prove her point, several of the Chinese Shinma tightened their grips, making a few of the Western Shinma cry out in further pain.

"I have no intentions of fighting." Pazusu said, drawing himself up straight. "Go a head and take the damn thing." Kia blinked at him, lowering her hand slightly. "I am serious. It would be better for all of us if that thing it taken back to were it properly belongs."

Kia cocked her head, peering at the eldest Western Shinma through her yellow, silted-eyes. "Can I trust you?"

"Let my comrade go, and I promise on my honor."

An honor promise. He was serious. Kia let her arm drop back to her side and looked back at her friends. "You heard him. Release them." The other Chinese Shinma straightened immediately, releasing their hostages, leaving the Western Shinma to painfully pull themselves to their feet to watch the spectacle around them. Amy rounded on Kitsune, lookin as if he was ready to hit her, but stopped when Pazusu shot him a sharp look. The fox-girl stuck her tongue out at the green-haired Western Shinma.

"All right!" Yoshi called down from above. "Miyu, I'll take you in. And hold on tight, we're going to take the scenic route." Without asking, Miyu climbed onto Yoshi's back, sheathing her dagger, and held on tight around his neck as Yoshi took flight, his wings thumping uncomfortably on either side of her, under her arms. He flew high above the ship, beyond the masts, and positioned himself over the cabins. Miyu had an idea of what he was planning to do. "You might want to duck your head down." Yoshi said. "But don't worry, I won't let you get hurt." Miyu nodded and slid a little lower on his back, her head against his shoulder blade.

Yoshi swallowed, feeling light-headed as he felt Miyu pull herself closer to her. In a way, he wanted to stay like this, forever maybe, but there were more important matters to deal with now. He steadied his powers, preparing them for what had to be done, folded his wings and dove.

The cold air rushing past them and the sickening falling feeling in Miyu's stomach lasted only for a few seconds until a loud crash made her eyes snap open. They were inside the Western Shinma's ship, entering from the ceiling, which was now complete with a smoking jagged hole. Upon their entry, Yoshi had knocked over several pieces of furniture and was now clinging to the far wall, also knocking off several pictures and shattering the table that had once been sitting up against the wood. "Was that really necessary?" Miyu asked as she slid off his back, placing her hands on her hips.

"No." Yoshi responded, jumping down from the wall and dusting himself off. "But it's fun." He grinned at her with his wide, goofy half-grin that was definitely him, not that crude attitude that he had taken to Cait Sith. Miyu could not help but smile back, but a voice made them both turn around.

"You…how…how did you get in here?" Miyu clenched her jaw painfully, her fingers itching for her dagger. It was Carlua. Lemunia was with her as well, both standing in the entrance to the hall that led to the lower cabins of the ship, and both looking very bewildered. "Chinese Shinma! How did you get in…" She stopped short when she saw the smoking hole in the roof. Scoffing, she rounded to face Miyu. "And you! Who are you, savage."

"Why Carlua, I'm hurt." Miyu said in a singsong voice. Miyu drew in every sweet second when she saw Carlua's face drop as she reached up to push the remaining mask onto the top of her head. "Aren't you going to welcome me back?" Carlua was speechless, and for that moment, Miyu had never felt so good.

"You…Chinese Shinma…" Lemunia stammered. "You said…"

Yoshi held up his long spidery hands. "It's nothing personal, like I promised. We're not hear to hurt either of you." He punctuated the last, part, nudging at Miyu with his elbow. "Just tell us where the Quarl's room is and we'll leave. It's as simple at that." He snapped his long fingers, which sounded like a branch being snapped in half.

"The…the who?" Carlua was finally able to get out.

"Cait Sith. Where does he sleep."

"Down the hall." Lemunia answered in a rush, pointing in the direction. "Six doors down to the right."

"Thanks, kid." Yoshi said as he and Miyu began to run for the hall, the two Western Shinma moving out of their way. Yoshi knew exactly why Lemunia had been so quick to giving them the information; he wanted to get Cait Sith back for what had happened to him the day before.

They counted six doors down from the left as Lemunia had told them to and broke the dark wooden door in on itself. Immediately Miyu drew away, holding her hand to her nose. "Ugh…it reeks!" She said. Indeed the room smelt of a rotting carcass and seeping garbage, a smell that Yoshi knew all too well by now. The cabin was small, with only a bed and a table bolted to the hardwood floor. And sitting on the table was exactly what they were looking for; the crude dagger-seal that Mori had told them about, right to the last detail.

"Cake walk." Yoshi grinned. "Let's just grab the damn thing and get out of here." He reached for it but Miyu grabbed his wrist.

"Not like that. The thing's reeking of evil energy, and it could hurt us if he pick it up like that." She said.

"Then how could Cait Sith hold it?"

"His spirit presence feels exactly the same. I don't think that it would do much to hurt him as they are on the same levels. Here, this might be better." She knelt down by the bed and tore off a large strip of the bedclothes, threw it on top of the dagger and picked up both like that. When it was in her hand, she wrapped it up tightly and stuck it behind her belt, next to her regular dagger. "There, that should do it. Let's get out of here so I can get this back to Mori." She turned quickly and ran from the cabin, but Yoshi remained behind for a moment, a feeling of slight sadness clutching his heart. He knew that was only half of the reason she really wanted to leave. With a sigh, he followed her.

Miyu was faster than he was, especially on the ground with a smooth floor, but she was already out of sight by the time he returned to the main hall and was well on his way to the main parlor. Then the hair on the back of his neck stood on end; something was coming, something evil. He ducked just in time as a handful of black cat wraiths flew over his head. _Oh no…_ he thought. _Miyu's in trouble!_

He could not have been more right. Miyu was just outside the entrance to the lower cabins, pinned against the wall, cornered by Cait Sith. No one on deck moved, not even Yoshi when Kia motioned for him to stay where he was, no matter how he wanted to help the little vampire. An awkward silence hung in the hair, but Kia's eyes were still able to see Miyu's slow, careful motions as she positioned her hand to make a quick grab at her dagger…

As quick as lightning the dagger flashed into Miyu's hand and she charged Cait Sith before any of the other Shinma had time to get a word out. Cait Sith acted almost immediately, his own short sword in his hand to block the blow that would have easily cut through him as easily as wet tissue paper. The ring of the clashing swords was almost painful in the ears of the other Shinma, but the battle held for a few suspended seconds before the two broke away, and circled like two wolves. It was Miyu who lunged first and the most trained warriors caught her mistake early. It was obvious that Cait Sith was more highly trained than she was, and it showed. Miyu had very little experience when it came to fighting with weapons, and it meant that she was most likely to get hurt. The majority of the hits missed her, but several were close enough to take off patches of fur from the pelt she was wearing.

Early in the fight the swords locked again, but Miyu pulled a move that her opponent was not expecting. She jumped off her feet to push off Cait Sith, using him as a type of springboard so she could leap back and flip herself onto the roof of the cabins. Cait Sith, although winded from being kicked, had enough sense to hold up a hand and release a wave of dark energy on her just as her feet disappeared from the lip of the building. The wood where she had just been exploded in a rain of smoldering splinters, but there was no sign of Miyu. Several of the Chines Shinma called out her name, but even stopped that when the other half of her mask fell from above, hitting the deck between the Shinma and Cait Sith.

Despite himself, Cait Sith began to laugh as he looked upon the mask. "How's that vampire? Not so tough now are you? Your kind is weak, they always have been. Did you honestly think you could defeat me?" 

The Chinese Shinma and Western Shinma found themselves speechless as they too gazed upon the fallen mask. Then the Chinese Shinma rounded on Cait Sith, obviously outraged. "Why you mother fu…" They were cut off by the distant, mourning howl of a wolf and a lone figure rise from the smoking building. 

Miyu glared down at Cait Sith, her loose hair blowing about her face, which was dark from the blood spilt across it from the new gash that bordered her hairline. Her eyes glowed a dangerous gold that showed clearly that she was done playing around. Slowly, very slowly, she lifted her dagger to chest level so the blade gleamed as her eyes did. Cait Sith stared at her, dumbfounded, then snarled in a way that would shame the very wolves that Miyu was representing. "I am through playing games with you!" He howled, once again letting his wraith fly. Miyu jumped over them easily, missing them by a mile, jumping off of the ledge and landing hard on the deck. Then, with a cry of challenge herself, ran straight at Cait Sith, the dagger raised high.

Then the unexpected happened. Just as she and her enemy were mere feet from each other, rushing towards each other so who ever would be hit first was guaranteed an instant or quick death, someone grabbed Miyu's free wrist and pulled hard, pulling her out of harm's way, sending her rolling across the deck. Miyu hit the railing of the deck and was on her feet in the next heartbeat, her dagger raised again, ready for the next person who was ready to assult her. Her heart almost stopped when she saw that it was Larva standing between her and Cait Sith.

Once again, the deck was silent, but this time it was with downright confusion. Larva most of all. For some reason, something had possessed him to save Miyu, especially when he knew that she was in danger. Something inside had made him act on pure impulse. Was it possible that she still had some control over him? But, then again, when he knew she was in danger, he had _wanted _to help her.

Miyu's face seemed to be reflecting what he was feeling inside; confusion, with some fear and a deep immense pain that he had seen today in her tears, but now it seemed to be so much more worse. The dagger in her hand was trembling. Those golden eyes…he wanted to sooth her pain, do something to make the hurting stop…Without know what he was doing, he took a step closer to her.

"Stop!"

Larva turned to see the point of an arrow pointed at his heart. Kia was on the other side of it, her long bow's string pulled incredibly tight. With that much force behind that arrow, it would tear through his body like nothing. It was said that an Avian archer never missed. "Miyu, get out of here." Kia said, not taking her eyes off of Larva. Miyu wasted no time, and quickly jumped onto the railing of the ship and then jumped off. It was a sickening hundred-foot drop into the ocean below, but it would be no problem for her to swim to shore where Mioshi and Okkoto were waiting. 

Kia eased her slack on the arrow a bit. "Chinese Shinma, let's get out of here. Western Shinma, forgive us for the squabble, it was not suppose to…" she was not able to finish her sentence. Spartoi had climbed back on deck and ran up from behind her and tried to pin her arms behind her back. The position of the bow shifted. Surprised, Kia released the arrow.

Pain shot through Larva's body like fire. There was a dull thud behind him, and he looked to see an arrow embedded a few good inches into the dark wood of the ship. Blood dripped from the fletching and a warm feeling began to spread on the left side of his body. Putting a hand to his side then looking at it, he could see it was covered in blood. From where the arrow had torn through his body. Between the pain and the shock, he was not able to say anything, and merely fell forward onto his knees. Somewhere on deck, Carlua screamed.

Kia let her arms drop to her side. "Aw, crap. Now I guess we have to do something about _that_." She looked down at Spartoi, who was still clung around her waist. "Are you quiet done, nimrod?" She backhanded him away.

"We had a deal, Chinese Shinma!" Pazusu exploded at Kia. "You said that if we gave you the dagger, then no one on this ship would get hurt!"

"That was not supposed to happen, on _my_ honor!" Kia snapped back. She cast a quick glance to the entrance to the cabin. Lemunia and Carlua were both at the door, being held back by Ryuko and Tacha's arms. Tears were streaked down Carlua's pale cheeks as she did her best to push her way past Tacha's arm.

"Kia," The Felin began. "What are we going to do?" The rest of the Western Shinma were at a complete loss of words.

Kia thought quickly then turned to the giant of a Wolfin. "Yoto, get him. We're returning to the Fifth Layer now." Yoto nodded in agreement as he went over to Larva to sling on the Western Shinma's arms over his shoulder to help him stand.

"Hold!" Pazusu snapped, grabbing at Kia's shoulder. "You are not taking him anywhere. We can treat him right here."

"Don't be a fool." Tacha retorted as she came up from behind him. "We all know a wound like that will kill him. Let us bring him to the Fifth Layer and we can help him. Nothing will happen to him, I promise. The longer you brood, the closer he slips to death."

"Then there's no time to argue. Chinese Shinma, we are gone!" Kia said in a loud voice. At her command, all seven of them vanished, taking Larva with him. On the deck of the Western ship, Pazusu was left speechless. Many of the Western Shinma fell to the decks, unable to take their eyes off of the pool of red blood that ran across the smooth wood. Carlua was sobbing onto Lemunia's shoulder. At the same time, the boy never looked happier. Then Pazusu noticed something else that made his stomach turn to ice.

Cait Sith was gone.

* * *

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? Mori's growl sounded like impeding thunder when her golden eyes fell on Larva as the big Chinese Shinma lay him down on a mossy hill. Larva's eyes were closed but he looked pale, feverish, twisting and moaning slightly as he grasped at his side. Blood still flowed fresh and steady from in between his white fingers. WHAT IS _HE_ DOING HERE?

"Forgive us Mori, I shot him with my arrow during our attack to get the seal back. I know you detest this, but he saved Miyu from the Quarl. He may not even know why, but somewhere inside of him, he still remembers her and cares about her." Kia said, her voice near pleading. For as much as she did not like the guy, she felt that Larva had to survive.

"Elder, it is for Miyu's sake. You know how devastated she will be if he dies. He was her _Shimobe_. Of anyone else in this life, I would think that you would know and understand what the bind between a vampire and her soul mate is like. Please, understand."

Mori glared at Larva so hard that for a moment the Chinese Shinma thought that she would turn him to stone. It looked as if she was just going to let him bleed to death right then and there when she snorted abruptly. YUI IS TENDING TO MIYU'S WOUNDS. THE FINAL DECISION IS HERS AND HERS ALONE. I WANT NO PART IN THIS. With one final disgusted look at Larva, Mori turned and limped off into the forest.

* * *

"Ah, despite the blood, the wound's aren't that bad." Yui said gently as she went over the thing cuts on Miyu's face with a wet rag. "You'll be good as new in a few hours."

"Thank you, Yui." Miyu said, trying not to flinch when the cold water touched her. Her thanks had only been half-hearted; she was not in the best of moods. First there was Cait Sith, a thorn in the Realm's side that had to be taken care of immediately. Then she had dropped the dagger on her way back to the Fifth Layer. Now that was laying somewhere out in the forest, for anyone to pick up. And with as dangerous as it was, that was not a good thing. Then there was Larva…one moment, he was her enemy. Then the next moment, he had saved her life. The whole ordeal wanted to make her cry and scream at the same time, it hurt so much. God, she missed him so much…what was the point of going on it he was not going to be there with her?

"Miyu?"

Miyu looked up, noticing for the first time that she had been holding her head in her hands. Yui was looking very worried, but behind her stood the Chinese Shinma. The looks on their faces was even more unsettling. They looked not only worried for her, but sick to their stomachs as well. "Miyu?" Kia began. "There's…been an accident. After you left, I…I shot Larva with the arrow that I was pointing at him. But he's alive, I promise," She said in a rush when Miyu leapt to her feet despite Yui's protests. "but it's not good. The only one who can save him is you. And if you're going to do it…you have to do it now. He's not going to last much longer."

Miyu was at their sides as soon as Kia had said that only she could save him, heading back into the forest. "Miyu!" Yui called after her. "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, after what he did to you…"

"Yui…" Miyu turned around to look at her little vampire cousin through sad eyes. "Would you do the same thing for your _Shimobe?_" Yui bit her lip and looked over at Nagi. The other Shi had found them earlier that morning and was now reclining near the trunk of a tree, snoring loudly. Yui looked back at Miyu and nodded. "Where is he?" She asked her friends.

"Down that trail." Ryuko pointed her in the direction. "Right to the grove. You can't miss him."

"Thank you." It was said quickly and lost in the silence of the forest as she ran down the path that Ryuko had showed her. He was right; as soon as she was out of the trees she saw Larva, laying amongst the moss, his bloodstained hand pressed to his side. Images filled Miyu's mind, making her cringe; images of when they had been attacked by the Western Shinma and Larva had been struck down when he tried to save her. She pushed the memories away as she walked over to him slowly and knelt at his side.

Sensing a new presence next to him, Larva opened his eyes to find himself looking into a pair of startling golden ways. Despite the wound in his side, he pushed himself to his elbows and tried to get away from her. "S-s-stay away from me." He stammered weakly. "Keep away, vampire."

Once again, the hurt filled Miyu's eyes, but she was the only one who did not seem to notice it as she tried to get him to calm down and lie still, but the closer she got the further he tried to get away. Finally, confused with her pain and frustrated with the lack of trust, Miyu placed her hands squarely on his shoulders and pushed him down to the ground, her eyes boring into his but silencing him fairly efficiently.

"You have one of two choices." Miyu said sharply. "You can either calm down and let me help you, or you can lay here and bleed to death. It's your call." Her voice softened a little. "And you don't have to worry about me making you my _Shimobe_. If I tried, I would kill you. I can only take someone's blood if they will me to. So just relax." She pulled away and picked up the white steel dagger from its scabbard and placed the tip on the palm of her right hand. Closing her eyes, she slit the skin of her hand the whole way across. Dark red blood began to run from the wound, trickling down her wrist and from in between her fingers. She turned her hand down and pressed the open laceration on Larva's wound. She had never done this before, but she had an inkling that it might work. Legend said that vampire blood could heal almost any wound. Larva winced at her touch, but she could feel the blood running together and she felt the wound beginning to heal under her own ragged flesh. "I don't know what the outcome of this will be, but if it bonds us, then they can do what ever the hell they did to you the last time…" the very end came out as a bitter mumble.

A part of Larva still was afraid, wanted to get up and leave, but he stayed where he was, partly because he was too weak to move and because he had trust in her. But why should he have trust, in this vampire that kept him prisoner for all these years? Despite what she had said, he still had a feeling that she was probably going to find some way to take him back. Even more confusing, why was she doing this. After what he had done to her, why was she trying to save his life? 

The moment their blood began to flow together, Larva was nearly overcome by a wave of emotions that flooded his mind- not of his own, but of... Miyu's. No, that was impossible. How could he feel Miyu's emotions? But they were there. Instead of being icy cold and choleric like her outward personality, these thoughts were so sorrowful and painful that made Larva's heart ache. Why would she be feeling emotions like these? She should be angry towards him and the other Western Shinma and as cold as the wolves that were taking care of her. She was also insanely worried about him, wondering if what she was doing would help or harm him. _That_ was comforting. But, another part of her wanted to hold him, to be in his arms and cry herself out. All of these emotions were in his mind for a brief moment before disappearing, like they had never been there in the first place. Oddly enough, they seemed so familiar, like a long-forgotten dream.

After some time Miyu shifted her position, not taking her hand off the half-healed wound, so she could place her head on his chest. For a moment Larva though that she was going to drink his blood and he panicked, but then realized that she was only listening to his heartbeat and breathing. Minutes drifted by like hours. Or maybe it was the other way around. The feeling and warmth of Miyu curled up next to him was comforting, and he was able to keep track of her own heartbeat through the pulse in the hand that she had cut. He was soon lulled into sleep. In a way, he thought to himself before sleep claimed him; he did not want Miyu to move. _Why am I thinking like that?_ He thought to himself. _She's the enemy. It was even Pazusu's orders to kill her on sight. Once she has her eyes locked on you, you're trapped. _Larva briefly recalled her eyes, and realized that they held the same feelings within their endless depths that he had felt when their blood touched. She had such beautiful eyes. _Then why can't I stop thinking of her?_

------

To be continued…

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Author's Note: Very Mononoke, I know. And just when there isn't enough Miyu angst in the world, the worse has to happen. Will Miyu ever get Larva back? Eh. Who's to say? Only I and I alone know the answer! AHAHAHAHAHA! Well, maybe a few others as well. Uh…yeah. It's late. So I hope you enjoyed. I'm killing myself for you guys.

P.S. Thank you so much for those of you who have IMed or E-mailed me! I wuf you all lots! ^.~


	18. The Face of Betrayal

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

The Face of Betrayal

There was nothing else to be said on the ship of the Western Shinma. All they could do know was wait and hope that the Chinese Shinma would keep their word and save their fallen comrade. 

Pazusu drew in a deep breath, bringing calm and silence into his mind as he had been taught by his own masters to do so long ago. He had to concentrate. True, he was sickly worried about Larva, but he trusted the Chinese Shinma. Trusted? How could he not trust them? They had sworn his safety on their honor, on the honor of the royal heirs to their respected thrones. Just moments ago Pazusu had been conversing with the crowned Princes and Princesses of the Chinese Shinma Realm. That was a lot of honor to uphold on their parts.

But for now…there was a greater threat that he had to deal with. Cait Sith was gone from the ship completely, but an overpowering presence of the Quarl still hung thick in the air. 

There was still one more Quarl on the ship.

"Everyone, stay where you are." Pazusu commanded the rest of the Western Shinma. "I must see to something." _And fast_, he thought to himself as he turned back to the ruined entrance to the lower living quarters. The evil energy seemed to be growing by the heartbeat.

"Master Pazusu…" Carlua was able to choke out from between her sobs.

"Wait here, Carlua." He said gently.

"But Lord Pazusu," Spartoi began, still sopping wet and shivered slightly from the chill in the midnight air. "What about Larva? The Chinese Shinma, they…" Everyone began to talk at once at that point.

The elder Shinma held up his hand for silence, which was bestowed almost immediately. "Please, everyone, trust me, the Chinese Shinma promised on their honor that no harm will come to this. And, if it comes down to it," He swallowed, trying to hide his own unease. "Be prepared to leave at my word. Until I return, remain on deck."

Before a single word of protest or question could be uttered, Pazusu swept around and disappeared into the blackness of the lower cabins.

The sickening presence of the Quarl grew thicker with every descending step, but Pazusu did his best to place those feelings aside. He kept his heart as frozen stone, his mind, silent and clear as he concentrated. So focused was he that he did not even notice the shambles the front parlor was in, nor the gaping hole that had been broken through the ceiling.

__

The Quarl…

No, just not any Quarl. It was a presence that Pazusu knew all too well. It was the type of presence that clung to a very powerful, very respected and, most importantly, a very dangerous individual.

__

Caial…

Who else could it be?

__

I can feel Caial's presence coming from this ship…

As he made his way down the dark stairwell to the underbelly of the ship, the air reeked of the sickly-sweet feeling. Pazusu had to struggle to keep his mind focused as it clawed at his every sense, threatening to override him.

__

Are you here? I know that you're close…

Following the river of evil energy to its source, Pazusu soon found himself in one of the darkness and most concealed areas of the ship. It was a place Pazusu rarely visited. It was also the perfect place for someone to keep something well hidden. A repulsive wave of foul energy rolled over him and he knew.

__

You are here!

Pazusu's eyes snapped open. From behind a moldy, tattered curtain Pazusu saw the faint glimmer of some life force that felt as if it had been coated in a sheen of foul oil. On impulse Pazusu thrust his hand out and threw a small ball of energy towards the curtain and blew it away without any effort. What he saw behind it horrified him to no end.

It was a statue, but by the shape of the cold stone face and the way it held itself, the position that it had been frozen in, Pazusu well knew otherwise. This was none other than the figure of the great witch Caial who had been imprisoned in that stone body at the end of the Shinma Wars.

Then, in a very soft, hissing voice, Pazusu heard it speak.

__

Damn you…Pazusu…

"The statue." Pazusu ground his teeth in anger at that statue, anger at himself. "It was you, after all…The Quarl are using us again to fight their retched battles!"

At the sound of his voice, the statue began to radiate its energy, the tainted life force reaching out like thin broken fingers, searching, groping. Again Caial spoke, but this time her voice was harsher and stronger.

__

What have you done to my body, Pazusu…

His name came out as a painful moan that rattled his very soul. He fought his hardest to keep that horrible voice from his head while at the same time began to focus his rage and hate back at the statue. _I cannot forgive you, Caial!_ His mind raged back.

__

Pazusu! Caial shrieked. _You bastard!_

Fine lines and cracks appeared on the stony surface as Pazusu expended his own energy field, fueled entirely by his anger alone.

__

For killing Rall…I won't let you revive!

The dying words of his friend echoed in his mind, faintly.

__

Be careful of the Quarl…

"I will never forgive you!" Pazusu yelled as his energy grew, pushing back the Quarl's onto herself. The pressure made the cracks deeper and more prominent. He could tell that they were hurting her.

Good.

__

You fool, Pazusu! Caial's voice had risen to an insane scream. _You are cursed! Just like Rall, you will die!_ The last word climaxed into a wail that rattled his bones and chilled him to the very core, but Pazusu ignored it all as he unleashed the full power of his rage upon the statue.

The floorboards that surrounded the statue shattered into countless splinters before the statue of the Quarl queen exploded. Rocks and shrapnel flew in all directions, pelting at walls and ceiling. Most importantly, a great number of the shattered stones were shooting at Pazusu like bullets. He never even had the chance to move.

Fire seared through his entire body as one particularly large stone hit him, tearing at his flesh and burying its way deeply inside of him. Pazusu's face contorted with pain and his mind reeled. _Was that…a rock?_ The pain made it hard to think. He reached up to clutch at the wound, and his hand met the hot blood that had soaked into his cloak before he collapsed to his knees. Swallowing back the blood that was slowly seeping into his mouth, he looked at the spot where the statue of Caial had once stood, but there was nothing left. The only thing that suggested that anything had stood there at all was the broken pieces of stone rubble that littered the ground.

* * *

"Master Pazusu!" Carlua cried when the older Shinma appeared back on the higher decks, but looking as if he had seen better days. In fact, Pazusu had to climb his way out from the lower decks, practically on his hands and knees from the pain, clutching at the bloodied mess that covered the front of his chest. His face was pale and slick with sweat, and his breathing seemed shallow. The other Western Shinma were at his side immediately, trying to help him stand and out of the ruined doorway to the lower cabins and all talking at once.

"Everyone…we've go to go…" Every spoken word felt like a flaming sword impaling Pazusu's body. "Get off this ship now…"

"Why?" Carlua asked, suddenly feeling very cold on the inside. "What in the world happened?" Several of the Western Shinma peered down into the lower cabins as if seeking the answer to her question, but no one dared to take a step closer.

"I'll explain later!" The answer may have been harsh, but it was important that they moved fast. Although they could not yet sense it, Pazusu knew that there was an evil energy seeping out of the broken statue like oil out of a cracked tanker with enough evil power to swallow the ship within the hour. "Now hurry up! Get to the shoreline!" By now he was trying to stand, which greatly emphasized the urgancy of the situation. Spartoi and Carlua were both at their Master's side, helping him to his feet, and once he had been steadied the remaining Western Shinma were already vanishing through the Gates. Carlua wove a fairly powerful Gate so that she, Spartoi and the injured Pazusu could get through safely.

The shores of the Japanese Shinma Realm were murky, dark and rocky. Spartoi did not release his hold from the injured man, but he still turned to stare back at their ship, which suddenly seemed to grow dark, cold and evilly alien. For the longest time, no one said a word. It was Amy that spoke first. "What do we do now, Master Pazusu?"

"We stay here for the night." Pazusu answered, swallowing back the pain. "There is an evil presence on out ship that will trap us if we return."

"What of Cait Sith?" Night Gia inquired.

Anger boiled in Pazusu's blood, but he fought to keep it down. "He is no longer any of our concern. We must rest, now. It has been a long night. We will think of our next move in the morning."

It was not easy finding a comfortable looking spot to spend the night under; the best area they could find was a small grove of cedar trees that grew out from the stony ground. A ghost-gray mist covered the ground, cold and soaking them to the bone, even through their heavy cloaks. No matter how close the seven Western Shinma huddled together, it did nothing to ward off the sounds of the creatures moving in the forest behind and all around. The sounds of creatures watching, hunting, killing, dying. Every now and again blue spirit-flames would swoop close to the group, bathing the surrounding area in pale light. It was a miserable night, and the dead-silence was broken only once by the sound of Water Lipper's voice.

"What's going to happen to us?"

Not even Night Gia's comforting half-hug could stop the water sprite from burying her face in her arms as she cried softly. Carlua whimpered and buried herself deeper in between Spartoi and Pazusu as another spirit-flame drifted by.

They were living in a nightmare. They were only seven Western Shinma stranded on enemy territory with no way to get home and no way to let anyone know that they were here. Betrayed by one of their own, they were not only up against an enemy country, but also against the strongest members of another. Larva had been fatally wounded and Miyu was alive, and her powers were growing at that. Even worse, the Quarls had returned, including their queen. Pazusu knew that even though he had destroyed the stone body, she could still be resurrected. The way to do that was probably what Cait Sith was seeking at that very moment.

__

We should have never have come here.

Sleep did not come easy, but eventually the Western Shinma did find it, one by one. At last Pazusu was the last one awake, but he too forced himself to sleep; it would help heal his wound and return his strength to him. 

And as he slept, he dreamed…

* * *

__

In spite of the heat of the battle, the air was cold, and the sweat on his skin made the wind seem freezing, but whether he was cold or hot was of the least importance on his mind. Right now there was only one thing he could afford to think about was Caial and stopped her from doing what ever she wanted to come here and do in the first place. And, if he assumed correctly, he knew exactly who she was looking for. He did not have that much time.

From the horizon Pazusu could see black smoke curling in oily columns that could only be from one source; the only village that he knew of, or what was left of it. Until then, the village had remained untouched by the war that raged around it. The Japanese Shinma had done a remarkable job at keeping their unexpected and greatly unwanted visitors in a confined area, away from their homes and restrained to the first and very border of the second Layers. But the smoke that rose outside of that boundary could only mean that one person had gotten past it, and she had a very coo, reason of doing what she had done.

Caial, the queen of the Quarl, was trying to draw the personal attention of the leader of the Japanese Shinma.

The air was hot and hazy, burning Pazusu's eyes and throat as he ran through the forest, trying desperately to get to the remains of the Japanese town. Revenge fogged his mind as smoke did the air. Revenge against Caial for his friend, Count Rall. The man who died in his arms, first asking him to watch over his infant daughter, and then to beware of the Quarl. And now he knew why.

He emerged from the edge of the forest; or, at least, the new edge of the forest, since most of the ancient pines had been burnt away and destroyed in the assult. The once small, quaint fishing village was no more, only a broken mound of black, smoldering rubble. And at its edge stood the great witch, the air about her still cracking with power that was too much for any Shinma under a certain level to touch. She was looking away from the destruction that was hers, as if waiting for someone. Pazusu kept his place in the shadows of the great trees. She knew that he had been with Rall in his final moments, and no doubt had figured out that the Count had warned his friend about what ever it was he learned about the Quarls himself. There were two children back in his own Realm waiting for him, and it would be of no good if he got himself killed now.

He was not the only one keeping a close eye on the Quarl. Standing opposite of him were more Shinma who had followed Caial's trail but wisely keeping their distance. Five stood to the side, the same five that had saved him earlier from a group of Quarl. Their cloaks and scarves had been removed, revealing that the armor that they wore that was nothing like Pazusu had seen before. It actually did not look like real armor. They were body suits that fit tightly to their entire body, making them streamline with bits of leathery-looking armor on their shoulders, chest, and other parts of the body. There were also some objects attached to them that looked like glass and tubing of medal that Pazusu could not begin to describe. Each suit was a deep gray and trimmed with a different color to each of the five Shinma; red, purple, blue, white and black, each color baring a dragon-scale-like pattern. That meant that they could only be Chinese Shinma. One of them was clutching his left eye. Blood ran down from between his long, spidery fingers.

The Shinma standing next to him would have frightened him as well as any one else had he not been preoccupied. It was a huge black wolf, her head held low and ear drooping, looking as if she might have been crying. Two other wolves stood at her side, each one whiter than snow but looking equally forlorned. 

As they stood and waited, more and more Shinma appeared on the beach, all from the three different realms but none of them making a move towards the queen of the Quarls. Everyone in the war knew better. And at the same time Caial ignored all of them, still standing, still waiting. Finally she raised her head and said in a voice that dominated over all other sound in the world, "Kyuko! Sentinel of the Japanese Shinma! Show yourself and face me!"

The air rippled with power that made the pillars of smoke bend and waver in the still air and the fires flicker violently. A Gate opened before Caial and three figures stepped out from it. Two of them were men, one looking about as old as he was and the other younger, and both dressed in light Japanese battle armor. Both had black hair that hung before their eyes and brushed past their shoulders. It looked as if they were related; brothers, or maybe even father and son. The third member of the party, however, and the only women, held about her a presence that made Pazusu feel as if her eyes were passed over him he would bend as if a giant hand were pressing down on him. She was not a tall woman, perhaps smaller than Pazusu himself, but she carried herself as if she was much taller. Her long brown hair was tied at the nape of her neck in a long ponytail and was adorned in red and white priestess robes. She clutched a longbow in her hand, a quiver of arrows along her back. Compared to some of the beings that Pazusu had seen here, she looked far less threatening than half of them. But it was something in the way that she held herself, the way that she looked upon Caial, even her mere presence that set her far apart from any other Shinma that Pazusu had ever encountered. It was almost as if…she was not a Shinma at all. Almost a deity standing among a crowd of mortals. Just looking upon her chilled Pazusu to the core. This could only be Kyuko.

Caial seemed to be the only one unaffected by Kyuko's presence. "So. Kyuko, Sentinel of the Japanese Shinma. Just the person I wanted to see."

Kyuko cocked her head to the side. "Is that so? I don't believe we have ever met before, so what is your business here with me? And, more importantly, what are you and your creatures doing in my country? I am aware of the war happening across seas, but for what reason do you have to come here?" The woman's voice was strong, unwavering.

Caial smirked. That cruel smile made Pazusu shudder inwardly. "Why, my dear vampire, you are the reason." Her voice was the hiss of a poisonous snake. Then she did the unexpected; with the movement, grace and deadly speed of the same poisonous snake, she attacked the sentinel head-on.

The older man standing behind Kyuko moved as swiftly as the witch did, his hand moving to the hilt of the curved katana_ sword. The blade came free from the scabbard with the sharp ring of medal, ready to protect the vampire sentinel, but Caial proved to be to fast for him. Kyuko saw it coming before anyone else had a chance to react. "Ryoji! Out of the way!" She commanded to the younger man standing behind her. The boy had a blank look on his face, but nonetheless through himself out of harm's way as Caial collided with the armed Japanese Shinma._

A wet crack echoed through the air as Caial and the Japanese connected, which was soon followed by a spray of blood that stained the air red. The man's face fell in surprise, blood pouring from his mouth as his sword fell limply from his hand. Caial laughed evilly as she withdrew her hand from his chest, which had before protruded from out of his back. Kyuko's face became masked with horror as her Shimobe_ collapsed to his knees, then fell to his side. He had been killed in the instant. But Caial was not through yet. Before Kyuko had time to recover from her shock, Caial turned sharply on her heel, reached out with the same bloody and hand placed it firmly on Kyuko's ribcage, just below her left breast. There was another crunch, and the bone and flesh under the Quarl's hand shattered like glass._

Cries and shouts of agony rose from the throats of the surrounding watchers. The young man who had appeared with Kyuko and her Shimobe_ wailed the loudest of all, pushing himself to his feet and rushing to the side of the fallen man. "Father!" He called out, turning the dead man onto his back. "Father! No, Father!" Tears poured down his face as he turned it up towards Kyuko. "Mother! Please…"_

Kyuko straightened, clutching the broken flesh with her opposite hand. Blood began to trickle down the corner of her mouth and her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Her eyes. It was then that Pazusu first noticed her eyes. They were shinning bright gold, but it was unlike any color that he had ever seen…they were beautiful, yet held within them a look of such dangerous anger that if she had turned that gaze upon him, he knew he would have been helpless and frozen to the spot. He had to force himself to look away from those eyes so he could watch that battle that lay before him.

Caial laughed again, the eerie sound filling his ears, as she brought the bloodied hand up to her hand and licked the blood away. "Is that all you got? You are weak, Kyuko, as your kind always was…but you still stand, eh? Well then, this should be easy…if you stand still, than I may let you die easily…" The black clouds in the sky, once still, began to churn, mixing with different dark colors; blue and purple as bolts of white-hot lightning cracked across it. 

All around them, the Japanese Shinma crouched into battle-ready positions, calling out, "Mistress Kyuko! Lady Kyuko! Let us help you!"

"No!" Kyuko called out, raising her hand away from her wound. Blood poured down her side, staining her robes black as it pooled about her feet. "Stand down. This fight does not concern any of you." She turned her eyes back to Caial. "Caial, Queen of the Quarls…your motives are still unknown to me, but because of the crimes you have committed on my people and the death of my husband, I cannot allow you to live. We finish this now."

"You are a fool, vampire!" Caial jeered back. "You are already dead, and you know it. But because you have proposed, I will be more than happy to finish this!" The great witch held up the bloodstained hand and clutched it into a fist. Her dark, evil power crackled in the air as she surrounded herself in it, pulling it up from her very soul. The rocky ground about her feet began to shatter, chips of rocks being flung up into the wind. Behind them, the ocean crashed and churned violently. The entire world began to writhe as Caial moved in for the final blow.

Kyuko did not move. She stood her ground, her eyes firmly locked in on her enemy. Her grip tightened on her long bow, and she slowly reached behind her back for the last of her arrows in the quiver. She pulled it slowly because of the pain caused by the gaping wound, but knocked it and drew the string back tightly to her ear, aiming carefully. When the queen was within firing range, Kyuko released the arrow with a snap.

The arrow hit home perfectly; right above Caial's right breast, embedding itself deeply into her shoulder. The Quarl stopped moving almost instantly, mouth hanging open in disbelief as her eyes were drawn towards to protruding shaft. "N…no…it is…impossible." She put a hand on the arrow and tried to pull it out.

"It is useless." Kyuko said calmly, her voice weaker than it was before. "I have concealed the last of my energy within that arrow…an entrapment spell. To keep you from doing anything like this again…"

"I have one final question for you, vampire…" Caial breathed. Already Pazusu could see stone begin to cover her body, slowly crawling across her skin from where the arrow stuck out of her flesh. "How…did you know we would reach your shores?"

"A warning." Kyuko answered. This time she wavered on her feet. Caial looked outraged.

"But the only one who knew is dead…unless…" Her voice was straining. The stone spell was slowly making its way up her throat. Her eyes grew wide and blazed with a terrifying new fire. "Pazusu! Damn you…" She trailed off as the stone covered her face.

Kyuko said nothing, but her eyes still blazed a terrifying gold. "Betrayed…how…pathetic…" 

* * *

When Yoto awoke the next morning, he knew that they were not alone. He also woke up stiff and disoriented, as if he had not slept in days. Then he remembered; he had not slept in days, at least not since the Western Shinma arrived. Now he was feeling more awful than he did when he was awake, which was probably not more than a few hours ago. Usually he was the early bird of all of his friends, but right now he wanted nothing more than to roll over and go back to sleep. But there was something afoot, and it probably was not anything good.

Yoto straightened himself from the slump that he had been asleep in, moving slowly to not tighten the knot in his back any more than it already was and looked around him. It was well past dawn, but the air was cold and the light was pale. The rest of the Chinese Shinma were still asleep, as he excepted them to be. Ryuko was sitting up while he snored, leaning against the same trunk that Yoto had been propped up against. Kitsune was leaning up against his cousin, drooling slightly onto his shoulder. That should be an interesting sight when the Second-Heir awoke. The rest of the team was asleep above them; Kia was nestled into the crook of a wide branch and Tacha was laying on her stomach across another, her younger sister not too far away. Yoshi was not in the tree, however, which was where he usually was when he slept. Instead he was on the ground in a crumpled heap, where he usually was when he woke up. Off to the side slept the members of the Shi Clan; Yui, Nagi and Senju. Yui and curled up in Nagi's arms, looking the most comfortable out of all of them. It was a comforting sight to see everyone who was there the night before still there now, but there was something different. There were now more people with them.

The big Chinese Shinma stood and stretched, feeling all of his joints popping from their stiff positions. Each one sounded like a bone breaking to anyone else who was standing around. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes with one thick finger, he was able to pinpoint where the new presences were coming from. There; threw that grove of trees. He breathed in the cold morning air. Mori was there, but the other scent he did not quiet recognize. It was not knew, but it was rare. They even smelt rare. Since there was obviously nothing else better to do, Yoto made his way over to the grove to see what exactly was going on.

He was right. Mori stood in the middle of an open clearing, conversing with Shinma that Yoto had only seen a few times before. Shadow Eyes. Warriors trained to move in complete stealth, to move with shadows, to move as shadows. The eyes and ears of the Japanese Shinma Realm. They were the original Japanese Ninjas.

From where he was standing, he could see perhaps two scores of them, dressed head to foot in black with only their eyes showing and long curved _katana _swords at their sides with black scabbards and hilts. But Yoto knew better; he could only see the twenty standing in the light, but he knew that there were probably dozens more in the trees and shadows around him that even his keep nose and ears could not detect. Mori stood before them, her fur nearly as dark as their garb glittering in the morning sun. She spoke to them quietly. REMEMBER, THEY ARE NOT TO BE HARMED IN ANY WAY, ON THE SENTINEL'S ORDER. SHE AND HER FRIENDS BELIEVE THAT THEY MAY HOLD INFORMATION TO WHAT WE ARE TRULY UP AGAINST AT THIS TIME. THEY ARE NO LONGER THE THREAT, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE BREWING. GO.

"As you wish, Elder." The Shadow Eye that stood closest to her said, placing a hand to his heart and giving a slight bow. Then they were gone, vanished like smoke. Yoto could not help but to blink in surprise. He had seen the Shadow Eyes move before, but they always caught him off guard. He was not exactly sure this "who" Mori had sent them to find, but he had a slight suspicion. Either way, it was none of his business. But before he could return to his slumbering friends, Mori spoke.

GOOD MORROW, CHINESE SHINMA.

Yoto turned back, surprised that Mori had noticed him at all, much less said good morning. Any lesser Shinma would have felt more than privileged. "Good morning, Elder." He greeted back. "Forgive me for overhearing your conversation, I only came to see who it was you were speaking too. I have not seen a Shadow Eye since the Shinma Wars."

THERE IS NO NEED TO APOLOGIZE, CHINESE SHINMA, FOR EAVESDROPPING. I WAS INFORMED EARLIER THIS MORNING THAT THE WESTERN SHINMA WERE ASLEEP ON OUR SHORES, AS IF THEY HAD BEEN DRIVEN OFF THEIR SHIP. THE SHADOW EYE WHO INFORMED ME TOLD ME THAT THEIR SHIP WAS ALSO REEKING OF EVIL ENERGY AS POTENT AS A ROTTING CARCASS IN THE SUN. SOMETHING BAD IS AFOOT, AND I FEAR IT IS LINKED TO THAT DAGGER THAT THE QUARL STOLE FROM MY KEEPING. THEY MAY KNOW MORE THAN WE DO OF THIS SITUATION, SO THEY SHALL BE BROUGHT HERE FOR FURTHER QUESTIONING.

"A wise decision, Elder." Yoto agreed. "But I fear that there will be some trouble if they see Miyu tending to their own comrade. Breaking his tie to her seemed to be their main reason to come here, and if they sense that she is trying to take him back, there may be some trouble."

Mori snorted. INGRATES. THEY HAVE NOTHING TO RIDICULE HER ABOUT. AFTER WHAT HE DID TO HER, SHE HAD NO REASON TO SAVE HIM. ANYONE ELSE WOULD HAVE LET HIM BLEED TO DEATH.

"Perhaps, yes." Yoto said with a nod. "But he has not been turned from her completely. Last night, while we were on the ship, he saved her from the blow of a dagger that could have killed her instantly. There is still something there, Elder. He has not forgotten her completely."

PERHAPS YOU ARE RIGHT. I MAY HAVE TO TAKE YOUR WORD FOR THAT. She was silent for a moment before speaking again. YOU ARE DIFFERENT, CHINESE SHINMA, THAN YOUR FRIENDS. THEY ARE FULL OF ENERGY, HIGH AND HOT-TEMPERED WHILE YOU YOURSELF ARE PASSIVE. YOU TALK SELDOM WHILE THEY TALK WITHOUT END. A SHINMA OF YOUR STANDARD USUALLY CANNOT STAND TO BE AROUND THOSE OF THAT ENERGY. WHY IS IT THAT YOU STAY WITH THEM?

"It is because they are my friends." Yoto answered, taking a seat on a small grassy hill. "Because they do not hold any standards to me that I can not nor want to meet."

THERE IS PAIN IN YOUR VOICE. DOES THIS SUBJECT GRIEVE YOU?

"No, it doesn't. When you have people by your side who know what you are like, what your soul is like, why should it matter where you come from or how you are expected to be?"

THIS IS A FAMILIAR ARGUMENT. IS THIS WHY YOU FEEL THERE IS STILL HOPE BETWEEN THE BOND OF MIYU AND THAT WESTERN SHINMA?

"As strongly as I feel for those who accept me as I am, Elder." Yoto answered. He smiled slightly. It was a small, awkward smile, as if it were something that he was not used to doing, but a smile nonetheless.

From somewhere beyond the trees, there was a sudden yelp as Ryuko came awake. "Kitsune! My God, you're greasy!"

------

To be continued…

-----


	19. For Reasons Unknown

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

For Reasons Untold

When Pazusu and the other Western Shinma awoke the next morning, they all immediately knew that they were completely surrounded. But when they opened their eyes and looked around the misty, gray Japanese coast, there was no one else to be seen. Yet, they were out there.

The morning itself was less than pleasant. Luckily, it had not snowed – it did not even rain – but it was still cold and the fog that had rolled in from the ocean had left them all soaked to the bone. The dew was well past sprinkled and had drenched everything in site. In fact, Pazusu would not have been surprised if it really had rained. The sky was an endless sheet of solid gray that seemed to absorb all other color from the world. On top of that, he was feeling as stiff as the rocks they had to sleep on that night, and he was sure that everyone else was feeling the same. This was horrible. They could not stay like this forever. Eventually the Japanese Shinma would learn of their present condition and report it back to Mori and the other Elders; if they did not kill them first. There were probably a lot of Shinma out there who felt as if they had a score to settle with them. Mori's children, for example. It was not a pleasant thought. But Pazusu knew that he had to do something; they could not just stay there. Even if it came down to it, he would have to do the impossible; find some way to contact Mori and the Chinese Shinma without having to venture to the lower Layers and ask for help.

"Master Pazusu, out of all due respect, are you crazy?" Amy asked, his jaw hanging open as if it had come unhinged. "Ask for _their_ help? If you don't remember correctly, they tried to kill us not more than a few days ago! Hell, they tried to kill us last night, if they had been given the chance to!"

"Then if you have a different solution, I would be more than happy to hear it." Pazusu's voice was calm; it was in that tone that they all knew it was the wrong time to cross him. "Remember, we are greatly unwanted here. Chances are that they'll be more than happy to get us out of here."

"Good point." Night Gia agreed. "But I have a question that some of us are obviously in the dark as to of; _why_ can't we go back to our ship, Master Pazusu?"

"Because it has been tainted." Came the simple answer. "By an evil that has thought to have been long dead."

"Would this have anything to do with Cait Sith?" Lemunia asked. For some reason, it sounded as if he might have already known the answer.

"It has everything to do with Cait Sith. But everything that is happening now would have never have happened if we never came here."

"But why us?" Carlua asked. "What did we do?"

"We were hoping you would know the answer to that question."

The Western Shinma looked up and nearly cried out in alarm. When they had awoken up that morning, they felt as if they were surrounded by an unknown group of persons. Now those unknown persons had appeared, so silently and so swiftly it was as if they had grown right up from the ground. It was as if they were shadows themselves; no one heard them coming or sensed any sort of fiber of their entire being. It was almost as if they were shadows themselves, and from the way they were dressed, it would have not been surprising. There were perhaps thirty of them standing around the Western Shinma in a tight circle, each one dressed in black so only their hard tilted eyes showed. They were blocking any possible means of escape, but something told Pazusu that even if they did run, they would not last long against these Shinma. There was something about them that set them apart from most other warriors, something Pazusu knew that he knew at one time, a name at the tip of his tongue that he could not quite say.

Immediately all the Western Shinma got the impression that it would not be wise to trip these people off, so they all remained silent as their Master did the speaking. "Who is it that wants to know?" He asked the warriors. "And, if I may ask, who are all you?"

"We are the Shadow Eyes, the eyes and ears of the Japanese Realm, under the direct order of the Elder of the fifth Layer, Mori. She has requested your presence with the current issue of the Quarls. I suggest that you come without struggle, or we will have no choice but to take you by force. And believe me, Western Shinma, there are quite a few of us here who would be more than grateful to take you that way." Behind him, a few of the Western Shinma shuffled their feet.

Shadow Eyes. Of course. Pazusu knew them well. They were the classical Japanese Ninja Clan, both men and women, warriors trained in the night to move beyond stealth and shame the shadows in which were traveled. While the Samurai were trained in weapons and for battle, the Shadow Eyes moved across the entire Realm and relayed any information that may have crossed their path back to the lower Layers. That was probably why the Western Shinma had a hard time doing anything of their own agenda while they were here. Shadows Eyes were seen only when they wanted to be seen, even in broad daylight, and when they wanted to keep their cover it was impossible to tell where they were watching from or even how many there were in an area. Pazusu also knew how dangerous they were in what the Orientals called the martial-arts, deadly hand-to-hand combat skills where the strike of an open palm could bring death and any physical object could be transformed into a weapon. To try to defeat a single Shadow Eye was foolish, and to think that one could was just plain stupid. Although he could only see the few score who had presented themselves, there could be dozens more watching from the surrounding trees. It was best that they obeyed the requests of the Elder.

So Mori knew of what was happening. That meant that the object that Miyu had retrieved from their ship the night before, the one that she ambushed them for and attacked Cait Sith head-on, could only be the sacred seal that Kyuko used to imprison Caial. And Mori also must have known that by destroying that same seal before the statue could reverse the effects and bring her back. But if she knew that, then what did she want with them? 

"Very well. We will go, and without a fight."

For some reason, the leader of the Shadow Eyes looked disappointed that they had agreed to come so easily, but he said nothing. "Follow us, Western Shinma. We will escort you to the Fifth Layer." There was a tone of bitterness in his voice as he said they would be escorted. "And stay close. Like I said, there are a lot of Shinma out there who desire your heads. You have done quite a bit of damage to our lands, and that is not easily forgiven. Follow us."

Pazusu turned and nodded to the rest of his comrades. All of them were looking pale and frightened and unwilling to move. "We should do as they say." He told them "And do as they say. I have seen them kill before. I doubt that the souls of those slain by them even know that they're dead." The others swallowed hard, but nonetheless nodded in agreement. But when Pazusu turned back around, all of the Shadow Eyes were gone. He blinked, wondering if he had seen right. If it were possible, this Realm seemed to grow even more eerie by the minute.

A voice called to them from the grove of trees that soon became the black forest of the land. "Western Shinma. This way. Stray from the path and you will be picked up faster by other means before we even know you are gone." He turned his back and vanished immediately into the shadows with the small party of Western Shinma not too far behind him.

The hike towards the lower Layers was unlike anything that the Western Shinma were used to, but, then again, it would have been unusual to say that anyone was used to or familiar with walking such a grueling trail. The Shadow Eyes seemed to have no problem with it. Yet, then again, they were born in this country and there was no arguing that they were obviously stronger than the Western Shinma that followed behind them, sweating in spite the cold in the air. The only one who seemed to be experiencing the least bit of difficulty was Spartoi, being the only real trained soldier, while the others had training that only got as intense as the exercises that the Japanese Shinma would do as children. In truth, Pazusu thought glumly as he tried hard to not pull at the collar of his cloak, it was really pathetic. 

The only thing that could mark the passage of time was the sun that slowly crawled higher into the sky, but it did nothing to ward off the cold or bring light to the dark forest. The woods themselves were completely still and silent. It was easy to forget that they were surrounded by scores of ninjas. Even the few that walked before them would sometimes vanish like smoke, leaving the Western Shinma at a standstill until they were beckoned harshly to pick up the pace. Their cloaks did little to help, often getting snared on the thorny bramble that reached for them from the sides of the narrow path. Sometimes they had to squeeze in between trees, turning sideways to ease themselves through. No one complained, but it was a painful effort to keep from saying a word. 

It was past noon when the first words spoken since their journey for the coast line, and were not really words at all. It was a scream of surprise from the back of the line that made everyone else halt as their blood ran cold.

Night Gia and Amy were both white as sheets, their eyes wide and jaws clamped tightly shut as they pushed themselves up against the trunks of the massive trees, trying desperately to try to back away from whatever it was that had scared them. "What is the hold up?" The Shadow Eye who had been leading them asked bitterly as he looked over his shoulder, his hooded eyes narrowing dangerously. Another Shadow Eye melted out of the shadows from behind Night Gia and Amy, appearing so suddenly that they screamed again and fell away opposite sides. This one was smaller than the leader and sported some shapely curves, suggesting that it was female. She frowned (or Pazusu assumed) at the two fallen Western Shinma, but then began to laugh.

"That?" She asked. "You're afraid of him?" Even coming from the enemy, the sound of her laughing did something to relieve the stress that had clung to the group. Curious, Lemunia, Carlua and Water Lipper turned back to see what all the commotion was about. Pazusu stood back and watched as their faces fell to a mixture of confusion and amusement.

"What is it?" Lemunia asked. 

"It looks like a toy!" Carlua responded. That did it. Pazusu sighed and also turned to see what was so interesting, Spartoi close at his heels.

To his surprise, Carlua was right. The small - creature, if that was the right word – did in fact look like a child's toy. It was completely white with a hue of foliage green, the body simple with two stumpy legs and arms, looking like a small doll. The head was much too large for the body and oddly shaped, like a lump of bread dough, with three spots facing them, all a darker shade of green, looking a little like a face. The creature itself looked like something that Carlua had drawn for Pazusu when she was a toddler, but it still something he had never seen before.

"Stay away from it, Master Pazusu!" Amy shouted, trying to pick himself up from where he had landed while still trying to keep his distance. "It's a demon! A Japanese monster!"

The female Shadow Eye looked over her shoulder, her brows knitted together. "How dare you! It's not a monster!" She snapped. 

"Then…what is it?"

"It's a Kodoma." She answered, her eyes sparkling as she smiled behind her shawl. "He's a tree spirit that bring good luck. They're very common in the Japanese forests. It means that the land is healthy." As if responding, the tiny creature suddenly turned its head clock-wise with small clicking sounds, held it there for a second then let it swing back to its original place with a tinkling clicking noise, like a wooden bell. Carlua smiled.

"How cute!" She said.

"Cute? It's not cute!" Amy continued to howl. "Nothing that can turn its head like that is good! It's just not natural!" The Kodoma did not seem to mind him. It only clicked its head again, then stood up and disappeared. Amy screamed. "Where did it go?" More clicking surrounded them, and as the Western Shinma looked up around the branches they saw more Kodoma surrounding them, standing among the branches of the trees and the rocky ledges of the surrounding cliffs and boulders.

"So many at one time after their disappearance." Came a new voice. Another Shadow Eye emerged from the Shadows, standing next to the female ninja. He sounded like a young man, and there was a hint of gloating in his pale eyes as he looked at their occidental guests. "The Kodoma are also a sort of safety system to the Shinma that live here. When you first arrived, they all disappeared. But now they're back with vengeance. That means that they're telling the land that they have nothing to fear from our foreign visitors." That last comment seemed to be the final blow towards Amy. His face grew so red that it clashed terribly with his green hair.

"Is that so?" Pazusu asked calmly.

"Afraid so." The woman said. She then reached up and unwrapped the veil from her head, the black scarf wrapped around her shoulders. She was a pretty woman, her skin pale and her black hair shiny. However, the horns growing from just before her ears and the sharp v-mark down her forehead made the Western Shinma look twice. "Guess that means we don't need there anymore if we had nothing to worry about."

"Don't unveil yet, Mashu." The older Shadow Eye said. "They are still our enemies."

"Of Janpei, will you lighten up." Mashu retorted. "They are hardly our enemies any more. Do you think that they will try anything under our watch? Besides, if the Kodoma aren't frightened, then it would be foolish for us to be. And…" She walked to the front of the line to join the leader, but as she passed Spartoi she placed a finger under his chin, looking sensually into his eyes. "They're kinda cute, too." She winked at him, running her tongue over her lips before disappearing into the shadows once again. 

Janpei sighed, shaking his head, but left his veil in place. "Let us continue, Western Shinma." They followed obediently, some of them sulking more than before while a few looked to be in better spirits. Amy, Night Gia and Water Lipper all walked with their heads down while Carlua and Lemunia could not seem to keep their eyes off of the Kodoma that followed them, rattling their heads the whole time. Spartoi was grinning foolishly. 

"She called me cute." He said to Pazusu. Amy looked like he was about to be violently ill.

"Forgive Mashu's behavior." Janpei said. He was suddenly at Pazusu's side, making the elder Western Shinma almost give a start. The way that these ninjas moved was really beginning to get to him. "She is young yet and has much to learn of our ways, but seeing someone here that most of our children have never seen before is a treat for them."

"I am sorry for the inconvenience of this." Pazusu said that before he ever had a chance to catch himself. He had just apologized to a Japanese Shinma. But it seemed almost as if he could speak to this Shinma on friendly terms. He then realized that not once that morning he had regarded these Japanese Shinma as his enemy.

"As long as you continue to follow our orders, there is nothing to forgive." Janpei answered. "But it is not me you should be speaking to on the subject. Save it for when you must speak to Mori and Miyu personally." Pazusu almost faltered a step.

Miyu. He had completely forgotten about her. He remembered her when they had encountered her first. She had been playful then, childish…But then the second encounter she had rotated a full one hundred eighty degrees, attacking their ship directly with a fierceness that was far from child's play. And that had been after they had nearly killed her. And with Mori on her side…suddenly the notion of having to speak with both of them was very unsettling.

The rest of the journey to the Fifth Layer was continued in silence, except for the swarms of Kodoma that followed them. Pazusu himself was even finding their presence comforting, but the pit of cold still remained tight in his stomach. The still was only broken by a sudden yelp from behind. When he turned the sound of laughter filled the air as well from the unseen Shadow Eyes. Lemunia was doing a sort of dance on the path, then grabbed the corner of his cloak and gave it a violent shake. To everyone's surprise, two or three Kodoma fell from the folds before they scurried back to join the rest of the forest spirits. Lemunia looked back up, very red in the face. 

"I guess I should have warned you that they like to do that." Mashu said as she reappeared from the trees. "Why do you think we don't wear clothing like that?"

* * *

The sun was actually shining the next morning. It filtered through the canopy of the forest, casting oddly shaped gray-gold shadows on the ground. Larva watched the leaves above him dance in the wind as he slowly reentered the world of wakefulness. It took him a long time before he remembered where he was. He was in the Fifth Layer of the Japanese Shinma Realm, where the Chinese Shinma had brought him after he was shot by Kia's arrow. That bitch was going to pay. But why did they bring him here? Miyu. Miyu had saved his life. Wincing, he lifted a hand so he could touch the wound. It was still extremely tender, but whole and healed. What had she done? Whatever it had been, he felt obligated to thank her.

"How are you feeling?" The sudden sound startled him out of the half-daze he was in. He twisted his head around slightly to see Miyu sitting a few feet away from him.

"Better, I suppose." he said. "How long have you been sitting there? What happened?"

"I've been here all night." Miyu said. "Just... in case anything happened. Let's just say that Mori and her children were not too thrilled to see you here last night."

"Then why did they let you save me?" He asked weakly. She might have saved his life, but it was something about sitting so close to her that made him uneasy. Even if her efforts to protect him from the wolves was a touching gesture. "Is that…all you did."

Miyu winced; it was plain that the comment hit hard. She turned away from him. "If you mean anything along the lines of trying to steal your blood, then yes, that is all I did." Her voice was bitter, and the tone increased the unease all the more. A sudden urgent need came over him that he had to move. Gritting his teeth, Larva made the slow, pain effort of trying to push himself to his elbows. Miyu must have seen it out of the corner of her eyes because her head snapped back around, her golden eyes wide. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to get up." He answered against the throb in his side. "I have to get back to the ship."

Miyu gathered her feet under her, looking like a cat ready to spring at a moment's notice. "Not in that condition, you're not!" She shot back.

"I'm fine." Larva breathed as his hand moved to clutch that the new scar. "Just let me go."

"No." Miyu's voice was firm. "Lay back down. You can still hurt yourself."

"I'm fine." The words were more sharply punctuated. He rose to his feet, his knees shaking so badly that the smallest disturbance could have caused them to buckle. "If your wolves don't want me here, then I might as well leave."

"Damn it, I said lay down! I don't care what they want! That wound will still break open!" Miyu nearly shouted, finally loosing patients with his stubbornness.

"Why?" He retorted without thinking. "I'm not under your control anymore." At those few words he immediately knew that he said the worst thing he could, but the damage was done. He looked over his shoulder at her and saw the hurt in her eyes, her jaw clamped tightly together and her face paler than a sheet. Tears brimmed her eyes but she looked away before they could fall. What was wrong with him? Why was he suddenly so concerned about her feelings? The last time he came face-to-face with her he felt like killing her on the spot, to make her suffer for what she did to him… _Do what to him? _With a sigh and a wince of pain, he lay back down in the moss-covered soil as she had asked him to do. She still did not look at him, and he felt very ashamed and guilty for hurting her like that. For hurting her like that again. 

"I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. Not after what you did for me." He forced himself to look at her, but she was still turned away. The early morning sun glittered off a crystal bead that was rolling down her cheek. Without realizing what he was doing he reached up to her to wipe the tear away. "Oh, come now. Wolves don't cry." She, in return, tried to pull away from his fingers but he only reached further to grip her chin in his hand and make her look at him. Her eyes were still fierce through the tears. That look did not suit her. "Thank you." He said, and the fire disappeared, leaving a warm look and the faintest ghost of a smile. He brushed another stray tear away with his thumb. 

A sob wielded dangerously in Miyu's throat, but she refused to let herself move or let to come to her lips. Although Larva had changed somehow, somehow learned that he hated her after all these years, she did not want to move as his thumb gently caressed the side of her face. It was not the usual way that he would comfort her. But it still was a form of comfort.

She did move, however, at the sounds of yawning and early-morning kinks being worked out of joints. The Chinese Shinma had finally come awake.

"Good morning, Miyu." Tacha greeted as she yawned. 

Kia made a strange noise as she tried to rub the sleep from her eyes, but apparently without much success. "Gah…it feels like I could sleep for another week…even Shinma need their rest. The sooner this is done with the…" She stopped talking as she that Larva too, was awake and alive. "You. So you lived. Good for you."

"You're praising me for living? Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment." Larva responded weakly, not looking at the Chinese Shinma and not really caring at the same time.

"Damn straight you will." Ryuko said. He looked to be the only one out of the group in a foul mood. Grunting, he reached over and grabbed the corner of Yoto's cape and began to wipe furiously at a wet spot on his shoulder. Yoto turned around and looked quizingly at his younger cousin, who, under the bigger Chinese Shinma's gaze, timidly set the corner of the cloak back down again.

"Miyu, they're coming here." Yoto said solemnly.

"Who?"

"The Western Shinma, on Mori's order. She has to question her on…sit back down, Miyu. They'd be fools if they think they can harm you here, so you don't have to be afraid of that."

"I'm not afraid, and it would be stupid for anyone to think that I would be." Miyu muttered as she sat back down onto the moss. But there was something definitely bothering her. _It's not that…just when I get some time with Larva to find out what they did to him, or maybe even try to bring his memories back of me, they always find some ways to screw it up. I wish they would just leave._ But, with out those memories, Miyu knew that if they left, they would take Larva with them.

The shadows around them moved, stalking, and the huge Elder melded out of them, golden eyes glowing in the weak sunlight. For a moment, Mori did not seem to acknowledge them. Her sensitive nose was turned up into the air, as if she smelled something that they could not, listening at something that they could not hear. She was waiting for something, or rather, someone, and it did not take a lot of brainpower to know who.

As if reflecting the shadows that Mori had materialized from, the shadows of the forest opposite of them too began to move, as if parting for the figures that appeared from them. Several of them Miyu had never seen before, but they looked like the old ninjas that were popular in American "kung-fu" movies, only much more believable and much more deadly looking. The other Shinma with them made her blood run cold despite the fire that burned at her core. The Western Shinma, all of them; all except for Cait Sith, that is.

Mori skipped any and all forms of anything that resembled a welcome and cut straight to the chase. YOU ARE PROBABLY AWARE OF WHY YOU HAVE BEEN SUMMONDED BEFORE ME. Her voice was flat and toneless, but had there been any feeling in it chances were that it would have sent some of the weaker-stomached Western Shinma run back the exact way they came. THERE IS SOMETHING EVIL LOOSE ON OUR SOIL, AND IT IS BECAUSE OF THE LOT OF YOU THAT THEY ARE HERE. I SUPPOSE THAT THE CHILDREN HERE WILL NOT KNOW ANYTHING OF IT, BUT IF THERE IS ANYONE PRESENT WHO KNOWS ANYTHING OF IT, I DEMAND THAT YOU STEP FORWARD AND SPEAK EVERYTHING YOU KNOW.

"Your suspicions are true, Elder." Pazusu said as he took a cautious step forward. "The Quarls have returned, and it is not just the one that came with us. The statue of their Queen was stored away on our ship without our knowledge, which is why he took the dagger from your possession. However, he has disappeared and I have destroyed the statue."

The Elder's eyes narrowed dangerously. BUT THAT IS NOT THE END OF IT.

"Unfortunately, no. If Cait Sith – the son of Caial – gets a hold of that key again, he can still revive her, even though she is nothing more than pieces of stone right now. Is the dagger back with you?"

A snarl curled at Mori's jaws, her sharp teeth bared. Some of the Western Shinma took a step back. As did one or two of the younger Shadow Eyes. NO. IT HAS BEEN LOST AGAIN. Over near the Chinese Shinma, Miyu shifted uneasily. Even though Mori did not blame it on her, it was Miyu who had dropped the dagger, and that if she and the others did not go out and look for it soon, than it was only a matter of time before Cait Sith found it instead. And right about now, will all the Western Shinma present, it seemed like a great time to go look for it. But before she could move, the one flinch that followed Mori's words were enough to draw their unwanted attention to herself.

Some of the Western Shinma look afraid when they saw her. A few of them turned away, unable to look at her. But out of the seven that stood, only one of them was glaring at Miyu; Carlua, with a look of pure white-hot anger on her face. Miyu returned the look coolly, her face a mask of calm even though her eyes held strong. The Chinese Shinma knew what was coming; the tension had grown as thick as the inland fog of San Francisco in the middle of the summer. It was a look that chilled even them, and they knew that if Shinma of their standards could not look that golden glare in the eye, there was no way that this little whelp of a girl could.

However, Carlua did not back down. Especially not after she saw Larva laying close by. Then her features changed from anger to utmost horror. "You! What have you done to him?"

"Saved his life." Miyu's answer was short and bitter. _I don't need this now._

"Liar!" Carlua snapped. "I know that you must have done something to take his blood back. You have enslaved him again, you filthy little half-breed!" This time Miyu did flinch as if she had been physically struck, and Carlua smirked under the blow. She was on a roll now. Not even Pazusu trying to restrain her, the furious looks of the Chinese Shinma, not even Mori standing close by was going to stop her. "A Shinma who carries human blood in their veins. How disgusting. If you can call yourself a Shinma at all that is. Oh wait, I forgot. You're not a Shinma. You're a vampire."

That was the final straw.

Cold fury swept across the fifth Layer like the winter wind, freezing and terrifying. Those words hurt Miyu more than she would allow it to show. But she stood still, hands clenched into painful fists, jaw clamped shut so tightly that her fangs dug into the inside of her lips. 

A half-breed. A filthy, half-human Shinma.

No. Not Shinma.

Vampire.

But before she could do anything, say anything – before _anyone_ had the chance to – Kia walked swiftly past Miyu, stalking straight towards Carlua, where she struck her once, hard, across the face.

"How…_dare_ you…" The Avian hissed, her teeth bared. Anger surged through her body like waves of a violent ocean, and it actually too the efforts of both Ryuko and her brother to pull her back. Carlua stumbled back towards the Western Shinma, her hand coming up slowly to the angry red mark marred across her pale face. Even Pazusu was too shocked to say anything. "You selfish little _bitch_! How dare you say that!"

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Tacha yelled. She reached forward to touch Miyu on the shoulder, but Miyu disappeared from under her fingertips. 

Mori swung her massive head around to glare at the Western Shinma, snarling: AND WHAT PROOF DO YOU HAVE OF MIYU KEEPING HIMA AGAINST HIS WILL? OR ARE YOU AFRAID THAT IT MIGHT BECAUSE THAT HE STAYED ON HIS OWN WILL? Protest sprang up like wildfire. "But why would he want to stay with that blood-sucking half-demon when he could have had a life of his own?"

"She put a spell on him; I saw it in the dream!"

"Why did she take him?"

****

SILENCE! Mori roared. The whole word shook violently in that one word; even the Chinese Shinma temporarily lost their footing as leaves rained down from the trees above. Yoshi even clasped his bony hands over his ears. WHY CAN YOU NOT SEE BEYOND THE STONE WALL IN FRONT OF YOUR FACES? SHE SAVES HIS LIFE AFTER YOU TAKE HIM AWAY FROM HER, MAKE HIM TURN ON HER, AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY HER?

"She's right." Yoshi said. "You're all blind! It's understandable that you want him back. But if want him to be happy, as his friends and family, then you'll let him choose his own fate."

Tacha said: "We have not known Miyu for very long, but we do know of her past and where her pain comes from. Miyu was too young when she awoke as a vampire. and she lost all her friends and ended drinking her own mother's blood!" Ignoring the surprised looks of the Western Shinma she continued, fighting back the tears that threatened to form in her eyes. "_He_ was the only one who was there for her when the rest of the world turned its back on her. Humans won't accept her for what she is, and most Shinma can't accept her since she grew up as a human! But that doesn't make her any _more_ of a human than everyone standing her." By now she nearly yelling.

"Just what the hell did you think she was doing to him?" Kia asked. There was a pause. "Please, don't answer that!"

Kitsune's lip curled over her pointed canines. "I think you got it wrong, Tacha. They are more human than any of the rest of us. They certainly _act_ like humans." Her words were stinging. Then she wrinkled her nose. "Smell like them, too."

There was a period of drawn-out silence. "Larva," Yoto said suddenly. "A new though had just dawned upon me. Have you ever told your comrades _how_ Miyu was woken, and why you fell under her so-called spell?"

Larva winced; the pain in his side was still sharp and strong. Until then, he had pretended to act like they were not talking about his as if he was not there, but now he had a feeling that Mori and the Chinese Shinma knew that he knew at least that much. He also knew that it was time to finally tell the truth to the others; Miyu had suffered too much because of his mistakes. If he had told them earlier, than maybe none of this would have happened. He sighed, closing his eyes: "It was not her fault. I did it. It was my touch that awoke the vampire blood. I should have said something sooner and saved everyone the trouble." Silence followed, but Larva could feel the humiliation and shame radiating from the other Western Shinma, reflecting his own. 

"Do you remember how it happened?" Yoto asked.

"She awoke - I awoke her - when I tried to kill her when I was here with Lemures."

"Why couldn't you kill her?" Yoto inquired again. he was relentless; this was the most he had talked since... since when? When did they meet the Chinese Shinma? Larva suddenly took knowledge of a small, hollow void in his mind, like a hole where something was removed.

There was a pause. "I... don't know."

"Do you remember anything that happened before you awoke back on the ship?" There was a sharp edge to his voice this time. 

The void and frustration grew in Larva's mind. "Damn it, I don't know!" he said suddenly. Memories; that's what was removed. Sealed, blocked memories, thoughts and images that was just out of his reach. It felt as if something had been removed, and it was painful.

Kia looked at Carlua and Pazusu, the blood drained from their faces, making the red mark on the side of Carlua's face stand out even more, and gave them a smug look, rubbing in the acknowledgment of their mistake. "Now do you see why Puppeteering is so dangerous where we come from?" She said to the other Chinese Shinma. They all nodded curtly. The two Western Shinma only turned their backs and stalked off into the forest.

The silence dragged out longer, the Western Shinma only looking at the ground and occasionally shifting their feet while the Chinese Shinma looked on with silent satisfaction. Soon the Westerners also retreated into the trees. Tacha opened her mouth, but Mori cut her off. THE SHADOW EYES HAVE THE FIFTH LAYER BOUNDARIES GUARDED, BUT THEY ARE FREE TO WANDER THE AREA UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WITH THEM. AND DO NOT THINK THAT THE SHADOW EYES WILL NOT TEAR THEM APART IF… Her voice trailed as Mukashi appeared from the trees, being led by five Samurai, three male and two female. OH, MUKASHI. WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE? IT HAD BEEN YEARS SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN TO THE FIFTH LAYER, AT LEAST NOT OF YOUR OWN FREE WILL.

I HAVE HEARD RUMORS THAT THE SENTINEL IS AWAKE, AND I WANTED TO SEE FOR MYSELF. He rumbled, his voice like a waterfall of boulders tumbling down a mountainside. 

IT IS TRUE, BUT SHE IS HIDING AT THE MOMENT. THE WESTERN SHINMA HAVE UPSET HER AGAIN.

It felt as if Mukashi was about to answer, but his head suddenly craned up as if he was listening for something. THERE IS A DIFFERENT PRESENCE HERE. Mukashi said, and Larva suddenly felt cold. WHO IS IT?

IT IS NOTHING TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT, MUKASHI. Mori said. EVERYTHING IS UNDER CONTROL. Mukashi only lowered his head again, towards Larva. The ancient cracked tusks that sprouted from between his lips looked very lethal at that moment.

THIS SMELL…I'VE SMELT IT BEFORE. THERE IS MIYU'S BLOOD ON HIS SKIN. His headed arched lower. Larva squeezed his eyes shut and tensed every muscle, too weak to move otherwise, waiting for the ancient Elder to rip him apart.

"Stop!" Miyu cried as she jumped down from a tree branch overhead. She was there so suddenly that the Chinese Shinma gave a start. Yoshi screamed and jumped into Ryuko's arms.

"Don't do that!" he snapped. "When you go off to hide the point is to stay there for a while! We're gonna have to have to put a bell on you or something!" Ryuko rolled his eyes dropped Yoshi, who fell directly on his bottom with a small bounce.

"Lord Mukashi, don't hurt him, even for what he's done. I don't want him to die."

Larva opened his eyes to see Miyu standing between him and Mukashi. _She's...defending me? After saving my life? After what I've done to her and what the others had said to her?_

AH, SENTINEL. Mukashi said with a slight tone of satisfaction. I SEE THAT THE STORIES ARE TRUE, THEN. DO NOT WORRY. I WILL NOT HURT WHO EVER THE STRANGER IS. I MERELY WANT TO SMELL WHO IT IS.

Miyu gave a small start at that. Larva was only a few feet away, and Mukashi could not see who it was? She looked at his eyes. They were pale, the iris a light-blue gray, and a pale scar over each narrow eye. It was then she realized that he was blind, and she gasped a little. Miyu then only nodded and stepped aside. Mukashi moved closer to Larva, who raised his hand to the Elder's long snout, much to everyone's surprise. The Elder breathed in deeply, stirring the leaves that lay on the ground. YOU ARE THE ONE WHO WOUNDED OUR SENTINEL.

"I would like to make it up to her and your Clan." Larva said weakly, causing another wave of shocked looks among the Chinese Shinma. Even Mori seemed surprised, or however surprised a wolf could manage to look; her ears rose up a little and she held a look in her eyes somewhere between smugness and complacency. They looked at Miyu, whose eyes were cast down to the ground. A feeling of confusion surrounded her. Instead of answering, she merely turned on her heel and also walked off into the dark grove of cedar trees so she could be alone with her own thoughts.

LEAVE. Mukashi said in a voice that was a hundred miles away from the slightest shade of kindness. SAVE HER THE PAIN THAT IS ALREADY RAKING HER SOUL, AND LEAVE. OR I WILL TEAR YOU APART IF I EVER SEE YOU OR ANY OTHER WESTERN SHINMA HERE AGAIN. MORI, CHINESE SHINMA, I BID THEE FAREWELL. He turned, very slowly, and left with the waiting Samurai, who had watched the whole scene silently from the shadows. The Chinese Shinma also finally took their leave, disappearing to who knew where.

THERE IS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO FOR MIYU, Mori said. BUT YOU MUST FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS YOURSELF. YOU HAVE HALF OF THE ANSWER ALREADY. THE SECOND HALF WILL NOT BE SO EASY TO ACHIEVE.

Larva did not know how long he lay there, remaining completely motionless with his eyes shut tightly. The only thing he knew was that he did not want to open them in fear of immediately meeting the eyes of an Elder, standing just feet away from him, wanting to tear him apart. He was also well aware that they were probably all gone from this area of the Fifth Layer; it had been silent for as long as he had remained still. 

Something soft touched his forehead, but the mere touch was enough to make him jump. His eyes involuntarily snapped open, but instead of seeing the horrifying faces of the Elders or the furious expressions of the Chinese Shinma, he found himself looking into Miyu's deep eyes. A small cloth was clenched in her hand, inches from his face. "I'm sorry." She said gently. "Did I wake you?" He could not answer, only shook his head shakily. Miyu placed the cloth back onto his forehead. It felt cool against his skin, much like her slender hands. "You're completely drenched. And you're shaking. Are you cold?" He again shook his head weakly. "Or are you afraid?" This time he looked up at her, and Miyu felt her heart soften when she saw the almost pleading look in his eyes. From all the years she had known him, she had never known him to be openly afraid of anything. It was the first time she had ever seen him truly frightened. She continued to wipe the sweat from his brow with tender care. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you. Or to your friends. The Elders listen to me."

After a few moments of awkward silence, Larva finally found his voice again. "Why are doing this, after what we did to you? We invade your homeland and kill your people. You would have died from the wounds I inflicted on you had the Elders not shown up. And now you're saving my life and keeping the other Western Shinma from Mori's jaws? I don't understand."

Miyu laid the damp cloth aside a reached for a shallow clay bowl, dipping another cloth rag into it and laid it across Larva's forehead. It was damp with cold water that felt refreshing against his hot skin. "I truly don't understand it myself. Despite those reasons you gave me, I still feel as if I should make sure you and your friends stay alive. Maybe it's better if some reasons go unexplained. I do know that I can't let you die." Sadness flashed across her eyes and she adverted them quickly, sitting in silence before beginning to rise, taking the bowl and cloth with her. "Just stay here and relax. That wound is still prone to break with any sudden movements."

Before she could stand completely up, Larva reached out and caught her wrist. "Could you… stay here for a while? I don't feel afraid when you're near." Instead of feeling the grief that was gnawing at her for the last few days, a small, shy smile crept across Miyu's lips and she nodded lightly. She sank back to the ground next to him, still holding his hand. After some time it seemed as if he fell asleep, but a sudden gust of wind that blew through the complex maze of tree branches sounded remarkable like a distant wolf howl and his entire body tensed up in his sleep, his grip tightening around her fingers. Touched, Miyu carefully repositioned herself so his head was eventually resting on her lap. He relaxed almost immediately, and she could not stop herself from brushing his hair from his face. If the Western Shinma saw them like this they would throw a fit, Miyu thought. Miyu looked down at Larva again, sound asleep on her lap. She smiled again. Let them throw a fit. They have nothing to complain about since she was the only one keeping him and them alive.

-----

To be continued…

-----


	20. Offerings of Comfort, Words of Terror

Chapter Twenty **__**

This chapter was completed on September 11, 2001, the day that the United States of America stood still.

Please, before continuing, take a moment to mourn the lives lost in New York and Washington. My prayers are with them. I hope yours are as well.

Chapter Twenty

Offerings of Comfort and Words of Terror

"And I don't want the world to see me

'cause I don't think that they'd understand

When everything's made to be broken

I just want you to know who I am"

(Goo-Goo Dolls, _Iris)_

It seemed that everyone knew that until Cait Sith made a move, there was nothing to do but wait, but it was an extremely aggravating wait. Most of the time, Western Shinma and Chinese Shinma ended up pacing around the Fifth Layer, looking so bored that it might have been better if something did happen. Even Miyu was beginning to feel anxious. There was a madman running loose on her territory possessing the capability to do even worse damage, and yet Mori did not want them to do anything about it, not yet anyway.

For the majority of the day, some of the Chinese Shinma provided their own means of entertainment, although it was not too much success. Kia and Tacha tried their hands at word games and Ryuko and Kitsune got into furious battles of "Rock, Paper Scissors", which sometimes got intense since they ended up making up an entire library of different hand symbols. And, by the sound of it, most of the victories went to Ryuko. There was even a time, close to late afternoon, when Yoshi burst out from the underbrush of the forest and broke into a little dance, singing the whole time. The song was in English, but Miyu knew enough from years of school to make out the general lyrics. "_Do you suffer from long-term memory loss…"_

"That's not funny, Yoshi." Kia called to him from the tree she was in.

"Sure it is!" Yoshi came back, throwing his hands into the air. "And tomorrow we'll all be laughing!"

Miyu could not help but to laugh now. Leave it up to Yoshi to bring some sunlight through the gloom. But the words made her think. Memory loss. She looked back down at Larva, who was still asleep on her lap. That could be the only explanation of why he acted the way he had. The Western Shinma were the cause of it, too. But other than that, what was there for her to go on? It was a type of magic that she knew little of, but she knew enough to understand that tampering with any sort of undereducated magic could be dangerous, even deadly. Sorrow and pain began to build in her head as she looked upon Larva's sleeping form. She had to get up and clear her mind. Besides, her legs were falling asleep. Gently, she laid Larva's head down onto the mossy ground, stood up and began to walk away from the area.

Yoshi was the only one who had seen her leave. For the first time in days, Miyu was alone. This could be his chance. With a quick glance around to make sure no one else was looking, he followed her.

Miyu did not know how long she walked for, but she only stopped walking when she reached the cliff. It must have been one of the furthest corners of the Fifth Layer. The forest was still thick all around and the huge, ancient trees continued to grow all the way down the rocky earth, but it was still a hundred-foot drop straight down that allowed her to look out upon the entire Japanese Shinma Realm. Her Realm. Her world. She had never seen anything so beautiful. For the first time she Awoke, Miyu felt a strange stirring inside of her, within her blood that she was not able to explain, but she had an idea that it was tied to the sight of this world, so alien yet again so familiar, laid out before her. And the silence…for once, Miyu found the complete silence comforting, and welcomed it. She needed to think.

"Hey."

Miyu turned to the voice calling from behind. Yoshi was standing among the trees, looking for once serious and maybe even a little solemn. "I saw you leave. Is there…something wrong?" Miyu smiled, touched by his concern.

"No Yoshi, nothing's wrong. But you, on the other hand…is there anything bothering you?"

Was it a trick of the light, or was Yoshi actually blushing? "N-no, nothing's wrong. Like I said, you left suddenly, and I thought that maybe there was something bothering you."

"No. I just…need to think." She sat down on a fallen tree near the edge of the cliff.

"Oh. Do you want me to leave you alone, then?"

"No, it's all right. I don't mind." Yoshi nodded. After taking a moment to collect himself, he was finally able to force himself to walk over to the fallen tree Miyu was sitting on and take a seat beside her. He shifted his wings uneasily and sat with his legs folded before him, resting his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands. It was suddenly very difficult to act casual and those first few moments of silence were uncomfortable and awkward. It was Yoshi who broke the silence first. "What are you thinking about?" He asked.

Miyu took a moment to reflect on what it really was she had been thinking about, only to have herself realize that she did not know. For the past couple of hours her thoughts had been nothing more than a jumble of different musing inside her head that she never really put any real consideration into. "Oh…just…everything that been happening the last few days. Wishing for life to be simple again, I guess. Wondering when the Western Shinma will leave us alone and go back to where ever they came from."

"Mori says that they won't be here for too much longer. As soon as we can get this little problem soothed out they should leave." There was another long pause, but this time for good cause. Yoshi could not read mind, but he had a pretty good guess of what Miyu was thinking about right then. After fighting with himself for a few moments, he finally asked, carefully, "What will you do if Larva goes back with them?" Yoshi cringed almost violently once those words left his lips, and for that moment he hated himself. He squeezed his red eyes shut. What a terrible thing to say! Here this poor girl was, in the middle of a war that she did not belong in, who had no reason to be attacked in the first place and on the brink of loosing her best friend, and he had to say something like that! He excepted her to turn around and slap him, _wanted_ her to slap him…but the blow never came. Tentatively, he pried on eye open to look at her.

To his surprise, Miyu did not even look upset. In fact, it looked as if she was actually pondering the question. Finally she spoke, and Yoshi released the breath he was holding.

"I…don't know."

What happened next happened so fast that Miyu could not even remember it _happening_ at all. One moment, she was sitting on the log of a fallen tree, a few feet away from Yoshi, who was now one of her good friends, to being in Yoshi's arms as the Chinese Shinma held her tightly against him.

Once she realized what was happening, she did not know how to respond. No other man except for Larva had ever held her in this manner before. So gentle… The fur on Yoshi's arms was surprisingly soft and when she was this close to him, the smell of China washed over her. China smelt of a deep, ancient musk and lost misty mountains after a refreshing rainstorm and of incense that the Buddha monks used in their temples. The scent was well set in and told of the Chinese Shinma's strong bond with his homeland.

"I-if you want," he began shakily. "I mean, if he does leave, you can come stay with us. My friends and I…we can take care of you. And back at home, no one will care about where you came from or who you are…not like them, at least."

It took another few heartbeats for Miyu's mind to process what he was saying. When it finally did, sadness washed over her. _Oh, Yoshi…_ She herself had very little experience with love, especially with "crushes," but had been dealing with human emotions long enough to know one when she saw one. And poor Yoshi… Even though Miyu was still hurt from all the recent events, even though she knew of the possibility of him leaving, her heart still remained loyal to Larva. It would probably be that way for a long time. She did not want to hurt Yoshi – for as weird and perverted as he was sometimes, he was still a sweet guy – but she knew that there was also no way to avoid it.

"Yoshi, I…" She began slowly, carefully thinking about what she was going to say to make it as painless as possible. "Thank you, Yoshi. If it does happen, I'll…I'll think about it." She felt Yoshi nod against her shoulder. Carefully she pulled away from him and looked at him. His crimson eyes were sad but nonetheless understanding. "I have to go see Mori about something." She said, looking away. "I'll see you later." Before she stood up she pecked him gently on the cheek before disappearing into the shadows of the forest.

After a few moments Yoshi rose to his feet too, looking out on the spot Miyu had disappeared to. He felt sad by her gentle rejection, maybe even a little hurt, but not crushed. And it was not the rejection itself that hurt the most; it was Miyu's hope for the impossible. Unless by some miracle, it was almost certain that Larva would leave with the other Western Shinma. His heart ached for her. She was strong, there was no doubt about that, but who knew what would happen if he left.

Someone clasped a hand on his shoulder and when he looked behind him he saw all of his friends standing there, Yoto on one side and Kia on the other. "How much did you guys hear?" He asked.

"Nearly the whole thing." Tacha answered. "I'm sorry, Yoshi."

Yoshi shrugged, trying to mask his true feelings. "Eh. Whaddya gonna do?" He said. "I mean, it's her decision and I have no place to try to mess with it."

To his right, his sister nodded, then also moved to put her hand on his shoulder. "Good call, Yosh. You know how strong the bond between her vampire and her _Shimobe_ are. But still…can't blame you for trying. I mean, that takes a lot of guts, ya know."

Once again, Yoshi nodded, trying to hide his sadness. "Hey, I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving. What do you say we go try to find something to eat?" He turned around and walked back through the small crowd of Chinese Shinma, torn between mild heartbreak and a now raging two-day old hunger.

* * *

From the shadows where he watched, Larva grimaced for two reasons; one from the sharp pain that still burned in his side and the second from seeing the scene that lay before him. While part of him wondered why Miyu turned down the opportunity to be with someone who obviously cared for her, the other half became almost insanely jealous when he saw the Chinese Shinma holding her. The sight made the void in his mind quiver and pulse painfully, trying to remember something that did not exist. The pain in his mind only made the scar in his side hurt even more.

The only reason why he had gotten up was so he could work out the cramps in his legs and back. But now he was beginning to wish that he had stayed put. When he had seen that Chinese Shinma holding Miyu, a part of him yearned deeply to do the same thing.

* * *

"Sandra Bullic."

"Bruce Camble."

"Kevin Smith."

"'Camble' starts with a 'C', Kia."

"Damn. Welp, I'm out."

"What do you mean, you're out? We only started five minutes ago!"

"But we've been playing this fucking game for the last three hours! There are only so many times you can name off every single damn actor whose name ver appeared on some sort of movie reel! Christ, I'm bored!" Kia grumped as she covered up her face with her arms.

"Well, we could always try naming all the little people who make the movies possible." Kitsune suggested from one of the tree's lower branches.

"Kitsune, if you can tell me the name of one key grip or best boy from any movie, I would be very impressed." Tacha said as she picked apart a leaf with her claws.

There was a brief period of silence. "Does anyone have any other ideas?" The fox-girl inquired.

"We could name countries or states." Tacha suggested.

Kia shook her head. "Nah. After playing that game for only ten minutes I have come to the rational conclusion that half of the countries and states of the human world all begin and end with the letter 'a'. What else do we got?"

"Rock-Paper-Scissors?" Kitsune asked hopefully.

"Not if it's any of that archive-crap that you and Ryuko do." Tacha retorted. "Traditional only."

"Damn. But Archive-RPS is so much fun!"

"And it takes about five minutes per round to decipher each meaning to determine who's the winner. It's a waste of time."

"And sitting here when we could be looking for that bloody dagger isn't?" Kitsune asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's an hour before sundown. I ain't goin' in there in the dark! I mean, it's not as bad as the Nightwalker's Forest, but who know what sort of things are wondering around out there." Kia paused for a moment, looking puzzled. "Speaking of which, where did Ryuko go? We got to talk to the ring-leader of the Western Shinma about what it was they did to Larva and find out if there is any way to reverse it."

"I thought that you already knew that it was Bleeding Amnesia." Tacha said.

"We did, we just don't know how to reverse it. If it can be reversed, that is. Also, it might be good to scare some sense into them to make sure that they never try to pull anything like this again."

"And who says that we have to tell you anything?" Came a voice from below, under the same tree that the three Chinese Shinma were in. At the same time they all looked down to see who it was talking. Then they all frowned at the same time when they saw it was Carlua. "You certainly don't have the right to after treating us the way you did!"

The Chinese Shinma's eyes flickered to one another's, each with the "doesn't-she-know-when-to-quit" look in them. "After treating you like how? Like the spoiled brat that you are?" Carlua's face grew red. Ignoring her visible anger, the Chinese Shinma swung themselves down from the trees and landed in front of Carlua. Kitsune was no taller than she was, but Kia and Tacha towered head and shoulders over the blonde girl.

"Something tells me that you don't have much of a choice." Tacha said, glaring down at Carlua. "You were brought here on Mori's orders to answer any questions that she may ask."

"What the _wolf_ asked." Carlua's answer was bitter and cold. "Not what you asked."

"Listen, girl." Kia's eyes and voice became dark and ominous. "You'll damn answer what we ask of you, and you'll take us to your little team of assholes' leader. If not, I'm considering that maybe a good spanking will set you straight."

"Will you all stop treating me like a child!" Carlua yelled out in frustration.

Tacha and Kia gave her their hardest stares. "We'll stop treating you like a child as soon as you stop acting like one." Kia said in a tone sharp and harsh as broken glass. Carlua's face went bright red then flushed again as her mouth worked but no words came out. "You still have a lot to learn before you can grow your hair, girl. One of those lessons to be learned is respect for your peers and elders, no matter what Clan they may be from." The two Chinese Shinma women did not break their hard stares. Finally her eyes filled with tears and she turned away from them and stalked into the forest.

"Do you think that you guys were a little hard on her?" Kitsune asked from her tree branch.

"Kitsune, under these conditions it's like being mouthed off to by a freshman when you're the senior. If they are not properly put into their place with a little bit of harshness thrown in, then they'll never learn before it can get them into real trouble. Can you imagine what would happen if she took that type of attitude with Mori?"

Kitsune grimaced as if an unpleasant thought entered her mind. "Good point. Actually, I think that it might be funny."

The other two girls frowned up at her and Kitsune shrugged in question. "Anyway," Kia said, turning back to Tacha. "I'd better look for Ryuko. We're running out of time. We'll look for the dagger in the morning. That thing's nothing but condensed evil energy. It shouldn't take too long to track down."

* * *

"Oi."

Pazusu turned to the sudden sound, his train of thought broken. In front of him stood two of the Chinese Shinma, the bird-girl and the smaller wolf-boy. Both of them had their arms crossed in front of their chests with stone-cold looks of no nonsense on their faces. "I think we need to talk."

"About what?" Pazusu said coldly. "I've already told you everything that we know."

"Not about that." Ryuko bit out. "About a little something that we think you might have done to Miyu's man-servant a little while back. In our world, it's called _Akmarin'rakni_, roughly translated to 'Bleeding Amnesia.'"

"The…" Carlua began.

"Don't try to say it." Kia advised. "Your tongue won't twist that way. But you know of it by another name. The _Mashujutsu_. The Dark Exorcism."

Even though Pazusu kept his face a mask of cool composure, the inside of his head was spinning from the shock of their realization. "How…"

"We're not stupid, ya know." Kia said as she and the Wolfin squatted on their heels so they could look at the Western Shinma face-to-face. "I mean, you're looking at both a witch and a Puppet Master in training. Between the two of us, we pretty much knew all of the symptoms."

"Are you so sure about that?" Carlua asked snidely. It was obvious that she was hiding today's earlier humiliation with rudeness. "How do you know what it really is? And how are you so certain that we were the ones that did it?" Pazusu placed a hand on her shoulder for two reasons that Kia could think; one was to make sure that she did not say anything to make either of the Chinese Shinma angry (again), and to make sure that she did not say too much. It was almost too late for either.

Ryuko cleared his throat. "Like I said, we're not stupid. The _Mashujutsu_, _Akmarin'rakni_, the Dark Exorcism, Bleeding Amnesia, take your pick. Basically, it is the expulsion of blood from one's body to be replaced by the blood of a blood relative, which is performed through the chanting of a spell composed of the blackest magic. It can also be used for memory manipulation. However, it is a very dangerous procedure. Only the most professional of the users of magic use it, and even then most of the results are failures. To be preformed in the first place, the individual who is to receive the exorcism must be killed. But if it fails, it not only kills the second member of the party, but it also results in the destruction of both souls. It also leaves the person who is reciting the spell mentally crippled. Betcha didn't know that." By the looks on the Western Shinma's faces, they did not.

"Very good." Pazusu spoke slowly, his face pale. "Now, how did you know…?"

"Well, at first it was just kind of a hunch. You just confirmed it." Kia said with a shrug. "You, sir, seem to be fairly good with word-magic. A sorcerer, as you would be called in our world. Much better than your companions. The girl is good, but she is far too young to know a spell of that magnitude. And you…" She swing her glare over to Carlua, who flinched under it. "I'm still not sure how you fit into this. Blood relative, no doubt, but how? Sister…?"

Carlua swallowed. "Cousin."

"Did you know the risks involved?"

"Yes."

"And you still went through with it?"

The blonde both flushed and went red in the cheeks at the same time. The combination made her look like some very odd cherub. It was if she was angry with Kia's question, but took pride in the answer. "Because I am in love with him!"

Both Chinese Shinma sat with blank, unreadable looks on their faces for about a minute. Then Kia blinked. "That's disgusting."

Carlua blinked in return, looking confused. "Why?"

"We're not into that whole incest thing, thanks." Ryuko had a slight greenish hue to his face and his ears were wilting.

"Anyway." Kia turned the topic on conversation back to what it was before, only now it was a little difficult to look at Carlua. "I suggest on an exchange of information. Apparently you don't know of the consequences, because if you did, you probably wouldn't have gone through with it. We'll also give you the skimmy on why it's illegal where we come from. In return, you tell us how to break it. We don't like seeing out little vampire so sad, and so we'd like that to change."

"I don't have to tell you a thing." Pazusu started to rise swiftly, Carlua's only a hair's breath behind.

"Okay then, we'll start." Ryuko said quickly. "And I have a feeling that after you hear it you'll change your mind. First, I'll start with way it's illegal in our world." This stopped Pazusu and Carlua. Looking like they would remain to listen, Ryuko began. "The _Mashujutsu_ can be used for more than purging foreign blood from someone's body. It can sever the family ties of a person, even though the blood of a family member is used. It makes someone forget their origins and any emotional attachments to friends and family. The only difference between the two spells is a few words here and there. You should consider yourself lucky that you chose the right one. Anyway, suppose a very powerful, very twisted sorcerer got a hold of the spell. Well, you don't have to suppose, because this did happen in our world a very long time ago.

"The man's name was Reiznl, and he was one of my grandfather's, who was the First King back then, best Puppet Masters. But like I said, Reiznl was very twisted. One day he decided that he wanted to overthrow my grandfather from the Wolfin throne. He began to build a small army of some of the finest warriors in the Wolfin Clan, and Bleeding Amnesia was his way of recruiting them. He would abduct members of the warrior's family at night to perform the _Mashujutsu_, and because he was so powerful, it tired him little and almost every one was a success. Killed the relatives afterwards and had himself a nice little puppet to dance on his strings. However, the rebellion never got underway. A spy got on the inside and found out what was going on. My grandfather sent the entire royal guard to Reiznl's hideout and Reiznl was executed on the spot. The warriors…" He shook his head sadly. "Poor devils. After that, all records, documents, and manuscripts about _Akmarin'rakni _were destroyed. And anyone found practicing it…" Ryuko and Kia drew their thumbs across their throats at the same time, claws whispering against flesh. "We call it 'Reiznl's Law.' Now do you see why it's so dangerous?"

Pazusu and Carlua were sitting very still, their eyes wide and listening intently. "And…the warriors?"

"Ah." Kia rose one long, taloned finger. "That brings us to our next topic. What are the consequences of the _Mashujutsu?_ I'll explain it technically, and then put it into more simple terms. You see, when you set op that barrier in the mind, since memories cannot be simply destroyed, the mind does to it like it does to all processing data; it flips it over. But when it corrects it, a vacuum is created, a void, that burrows its way deep into the mind. And, like a vacuum, it begins to draw matter into its depths. Actually, it's more like a black hole, because nothing can escape it. Memories. Logical thoughts. These things feed it, making it bigger and stronger, making the individual irritable, confused, and inflicting a lot of pain, especially when they try to remember that they cannot. So, in simple terms, this thing digests the brain from the inside out, making it collapse in on itself very rapidly. Soon the ability to carry out normal thought process is gone, and it leaves the individual in either one of two conditions, but more often both. They either go completely insane or they commit suicide." By now, Pazusu and Carlua were white and visibly shaking, as if they had actually seen what Kia was describing. "So…you wanna tell us how to break the spell?"

"I…I don't know." Pazusu said. "I suppose the only way to break the barrier is to…have him remember what it was he forgot, but…"

"It hurts him." Ryuko completed the sentence. "Which means that he can't do it alone. He needs someone to help, someone who is linked to his memories directly.

"Miyu?"

Ryuko pointed a finger to Kia. "Bingo."

Kia looked back to the Western Shinma. "One more question, and we'll leave you alone. Why did you do this?"

"We already told you. Because…"

"I know, I know." Kia said, holding up her hands before her. "Because you thought that he was being held against his will. But, you have to at least admit that you were maybe… a little wrong about your accusation. Your hearts were in the right place, but your brain's gotta wake up." She snapped her long fingers twice for emphasis.

There was no response from the Western Shinma. They just stood up and walked away into the shadows of the forest without a word from the Chinese Shinma. They, too, said nothing for several long moments. The silence of the Fifth Layer forest enclosed around them. "Should we go after them?" Ryuko's voice, although soft, was uncomfortably loud in the air.

"No." Kia answered shortly. "I think that we've given them enough information to chew on for a while. There is, however, a few things that I still wanted to bring into light."

"Like what?"

"Like how Miyu could only take someone's blood if they allow her to, human or Shinma. Something tells me that Larva did not fight incredibly hard to keep Miyu from drinking his blood. If he refused, then it probably would have killed him. Even if she gave him blood, he probably would have been nothing more than an empty shell."

"Hmm…" A corner of Ryuko's mouth turned down. "I know what you mean. I didn't want to say this either, but I think the same thing goes for trying to get his memories back. Even if Miyu were the key to breaking the spell, he has to allow her to do it."

"Good thing you didn't, or else they would have tried everything in their power to keep Miyu away from him."

The Wolfin blinked. "Even after everything we told them?"

"'fraid so." Kia nodded. "You know how string Shinma pride is. It will take a lot before they'll ever admit that they were wrong."

Ryuko shook his head sadly, slowly. "When will people learn?"

"Soon, we can hope. That void will grow incredibly fast. I'm just worried about Miyu, and we're running out of time."

* * *

__

The night has been no more exciting than earlier that day, Miyu thought glumly as she watched her friends from the tree branches above. _Makes me wish that something really would happen._

All of the Chinese Shinma (there were eight of them now, the original five and three new ones who arrived during Miyu's downtime) were all gathered in a small clearing in the Fifth Layer. Just a while ago the group had been short Ryuko and Kia, but now they were back, looking very preoccupied. Miyu did not feel like talking like anyone at the moment so she kept her presence well-hidden. It was working since Kia immediately retreated to the branches of a tall tree while Ryuko went over to Yoshi, telling him something that Miyu could not hear. A moment later Yoshi's face screwed up in disgust while he exclaimed "My GOD, that's greasy! That's…blugh!" and he stalked off into the forest, occasionally making a sound to further express his feelings.

Miyu could not help but smile as she turned away, heading to the spot where Larva slept. If something could gross Yoshi out like that, it must have been pretty foul.

Larva was still asleep when she returned. He looked so peaceful when he slept, so beautiful…Miyu's heart began to ache and she tore her haze away, her eyes threatening to tear. With a heavy feeling of sadness hanging over her heart, she lay down just a few feet away, curled up under her fur cloak, and slept.

* * *

When Larva awoke again, it was night, and he was not alone. Wincing, he pushed himself up to his elbows and saw Miyu sleeping a short distance away. He glanced around; they were the only ones in the area. There was no sign of that one Chinese Shinma anywhere. He looked back at Miyu. She looked so peaceful laying there, so much like a child. His heart reached for her, although he could not figure out why…

LOOK AT HER SLEEPING THERE. TAKE A GOOD, LONG LOOK. Came a voice from the darkness. Larva felt his blood ran cold as he saw Mori appear silently from the shadows, but he did look at Miyu's sleeping form. She was curled up into a tight ball; her dark loose hair fell across her shoulders and back like a small cloak. She slept silently, and a first glance would make one wonder if she was even alive at all. She looked so fragile, like a small child. WHAT DO YOU SEE?

"With her eyes closed, you would never guess she was a vampire…"

Mori snarled loudly and suddenly, cutting him off. Her lips were pulled back in a sneer, and her eyes shone with anger, and they even held a trace of hurt in their depths, like a parent who had just learned that her child was being bullied at school. AS I THOUGHT. FOR A WHILE, I THOUGHT THAT YOU SAW HER AS SOMETHING DIFFERENT, AS SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT SHE IS. FROM THIS MOMENT ON, I WILL TAKE IT UPON MYSELF TO FIND HER A PROPER _SHIMOBE_ TO PROTECT HER. I ALSO WANT YOU AND YOUR KIND OUT OF OUR REALM BY SUNDOWN TOMORROW. She turned and began to stalk off into the night's shadows. For some odd reason, Larva felt a small hint of anguish from Mori's harsh words, like he did not want anyone else to be Miyu's _Shimobe._ But why should he feel like that? He would be free from her control, to finally leave this place. Then why was a part of him protesting against it so loudly? And one more thing. Mori said, glancing over her shoulder. IF I HEAR SO MUCH AS A WHISPER ABOUT YOU OR YOUR PEOPLE EVER HURTING MIYU AGAIN, EVER, I WILL RIP YOUR THROAT OUT WITHOUT A SECONFD THOUGHT. She disappeared into the night.

Larva looked back at Miyu again. She did not seem interested in taking him back, nor did she even make any attempts to. She must hate him as well as the other Westerns with her entire being, yet she insisted on staying close to him, first to make sure he lived through the night, then to keep Mukashi from ripping him apart, and now to make sure nothing killed him during the night. Though she was cold on the outside, he felt her truly good intentions on the inside. What was the answer Mori wanted? What was he supposed to see her as, other than a Japanese Shinma, a vampire, and his former mistress? Elders always talked in riddles.

In her sleep, Miyu shivered and curled up tighter. Larva looked away and reached for his cloak that lay about a foot away from him, then turned back to Miyu and draped it over her with a tenderness that he surprised himself with. Miyu stirred in her sleep, and her eyes opened the slightest bit. In her half-slumber, she still seemed to realize that it was his cloak wrapped around her. The faintest ghost of a smile crossed her face, and pulling the cloak tighter around herself, she fell back asleep. 

__

There's nothing too incredible intimidating about her, he thought to herself. She is just a girl who is lost and lonely… Who ever Mori chose for her _Shimobe,_ he hoped that he would be able to help with those emotions. Again, he felt a small pang of pain and jealousy. His own thoughts did not even catch his attention as sleep claimed him as well.


	21. What the Weasel Said

Chapter Twenty-One ****

Author's Note: This Chapter is dedicated to my very good friends, Kelly Donovan and Larry Peacock, because they are the original weasels. Wuf you guys lots!

****

Chapter Twenty-One

What the Weasel Said

"Dearest helpless

Intent's not as bad as actions

Take a breath to distort

The fear in your eyes

I don't mean it to hurt

But every time I hate you

I think of you first"

(Silverchair, _Dearest Helpless)_

Sleep was a good thing. Being awake so early in the morning was not. But the Chinese Shinma nonetheless were up at the crack of dawn and venturing beyond the border of the Fifth Layer without a complaint with Aoi in the lead. This had to be done. The fate of this world may very well depend upon it.

"D' we even know where to begin lookin'?" Kitsune asked groggily as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. "I mean, it c-c-" She yawned loudly. "Could be anywhere."

"The Shadows Eyes have informed me that they know of its approximate location, but they won't go anywhere nearer than that. It's too evil. They also told me that we have to hurry; the enemy is closing in fast."

"So what are we going to do about the little weasel when we get a hold of him?" Yoshi asked, stretching his arms over his head.

"We're not after a weasel, Chinese Shinma. We're after the Quarls that are causing all of these problems."

Kia smiled awkwardly. "Aoi, he was talking about the Quarls. That's just what he called someone he doesn't like too much."

"Very well then." Aoi did not sound that amused. The Chinese Shinma could not help but to laugh a little.

"Okay guys, minds sharp." Tacha said once the laughter stopped. "We got a weasel to catch."

* * *

The dagger was near by; Cait Sith could feel it. He could _smell_ it, even in the thick odor of rotting forest foliage. He had been combing these hell-ridden forests all bloody night looking for the dagger, his Quarl servants at close hand the entire time. But now they were closing in. They were very close. "It is here…and it is close…" With a vile sneer and slashed at the underbrush with his long nails, and in a flash of light the foliage seemed to explode in a shower of dark leaves and damp earth. And there, lying in the cleared patch in the middle of the forest, lay the dagger-like seal.

An ugly smile curled at Cait Sith's lips. "There it is…" He hissed, his laughter dry. "I have found it! It is mine!" If the other Quarls had mouths, they would have all been smiling too. This was a great moment to be witnessing, for it was the beginning of the resurrection of their Queen. 

"But you won't have it, Western Shinma." The voice rose from the shadows and mist of the forest, as eerily and smooth as the voice of a ghost, but then a figure appeared from the fog; a Japanese Shinma, dressed in samurai garb and wearing a demon's mask on his face. Standing to his sides were the seven Chinese Shinma, all with down-to-earth no-nonsense looks on their faces, their swords drawn before them. 

Cait Sith only smiled at the sight of them; he was far from surprised that they had come. "Ahh…there you are…I knew that you would show!" His tone was light, joking, but the other Quarl that moved around him showed no signs of joking. The Chinese Shinma tensed visibly as they moved, watching every motion with sharp, cold eyes. 

"You should be disappointed, Western Shinma." Aoi said flatly. "You will not hold possession of the seal as long as I live."

Cait Sith did not seem to hear nor heed the Samurai's warning. "I am Cait Sith of the Western Shinma. Tell me your name, Japanese Shinma."

With the ringing hiss of medal, Aoi drew his katana sword from its scabbard. "I am Aoi. Prepare yourself!" With all the speed and grace of the wind, Aoi attacked with the Chinese Shinma close on his heels, almost taking Cait Sith and his minions by surprise. Almost. 

"Master Cait Sith!" Gima was the first one to move in front of him, the other Quarls flanking on the sides. The dark energy condensed quickly into an orb around the female Quarl's hand and shot at Aoi with all the speed and deadly power of a bolt of lightning. It was enough to tear someone even of the Japanese Shinma's power to shreds, and Gima knew this. What she was not expecting was when Aoi dodged it as cleanly as if it had not been there at all. _What? _She thought in disbelief. _He escaped?_ Before she had another chance to do anything, a sudden heavy blow to his torso knocked all the wind from her lungs as the female feline Chinese Shinma barreled into her at full speed, taking Gima to the ground.

Cait Sith bared his teeth at the scene around him. All of his assassins were down, held at bay by the Chinese Shinma. The one who looked like a bat had Gio in an efficient head-lock, the bird girl was doing her best to hold Gia to the ground, as was the cat-girl was trying to do with Gima, and the huge Chinese Shinma was doing his best to hold off Gigi, but it looked almost like an even match. And where was the other ones? A sudden flash caught Cait Sith's attention out of the corner of his eye; the smaller wolf-boy, the fox-girl and the bigger cat-boy were making a run for the dagger. The prince of the Quarl snarled at them, as with a quick flick of his wrist hurled a bolt of dark energy in his direction. The blast caught all three square in their torsos, throwing them backward into a large tree several meters away. That took care of that. Now the path was clear, and the dagger was as good as his. He reached his hand forward, his fingers stretching, and…

__

Yes!

His hand closed around the wooden scabbard of the dagger. At long last, it was his!

Something was coming up from behind, something very strong and very fast. Cait Sith whipped around and saw the Japanese Shinma Aoi charging straight at him, the curved blade of his sword flashing. 

By now Gima was struggling to get up, trying to free herself from the Chinese's Shinma's grasp. The cat-girl snarled, her fangs bared, the claws on her hands tearing dangerously close to Gima's featureless face. But seeing her master in danger gave her a new burst of energy, and with all her strength she gave a mighty heave, slamming both of her fists into the Chinese Shinma's middle, clearly knocking the wind out of her. She weakened, giving Gima the opportunity to strike the girl across the face with the back of her hand, knocking her away and allowing Gima to stand and rush to her master's aid. Not caring about her own life, she threw herself before Cait Sith, determine to block him from whatever this Japanese Shinma fool had in mind.

Then Aoi did something else that she was not expecting when he jumped over her head, clear out of her way. "You fool!" Cait Sith howled at Aoi, once again gathering a sphere of dark energy in his hand. Aoi was closing in fast, giving him very little time to conjure the spell. But as soon as it had reached enough strength to strike a charging bear dead, Cait Sith unleashed its power on the Samurai with a wild "Die!"

For a split second, it looked as if Aoi was not going to stop his relentless charge as the bolt of darkness flew straight towards him. The man really was a fool! Then…

He was gone again.

"What?" Cait Sith blinked, wondering if he had seen right. It was not that the man had somehow dodged out of the way, but he bloody disappeared! "He's gone…" The shadows shifted suddenly from above. He barely had enough time to see what it was when there was a sharp _crack_ and the dagger flew from his hand, into the air. "Damn it!"

"Chinese Shinma, grab it!" Aoi yelled to the wolf-boy, who was now back on his feet.

Ryuko nodded and with a quick, fluid motion, he grabbed at the yellow bandana wrapped around his head and tugged. It came off easily and he held it open under the falling dagger, catching it in the cloth of the bandana. "Come on guys, forget them, let's go!" Ryuko called, clutching the cloth-wrapped dagger to him and running off into the forest, Kitsune and Verde close on his heels. The other Chinese Shinma broke their struggle with the Quarls and took off after him, swallowed by the shadows. "Too bad for you, Weasel-man!" The bat-Chinese Shinma called after them.

"How dare you…" Cait Sith hissed. "After them!" He commanded to the other Quarl, who took off after the Chinese Shinma without another word.

"That short sword…" Aoi began, drawing Cait Sith's attention away from them. "Is filled with the enemy souls destroyed by the top class of the Japanese Shinma who used it. How dare you try to steal such a sacred artifact, crafted by Kyuko's own dying blood…"

Cait Sith only laughed. The very air itself seemed to darken with the evil aura. "You are right… The enemy, you say, was our mother, the Quarl who challenged the domain of the Japanese Shinma!"

"I see…" Aoi spoke slowly. "So that's why you're after Miyu… because she is Kyuko's grandchild…"

"I will return my mother's soul to its living form." Cait Sith's voice was dark.

"That I cannot allow." Aoi said and charged again, his _katana_ raised high. Cait Sith sneered again. This Japanese Shinma really was a fool! He stepped back out of the way of the swing of the Samurai's sword, weaving his dark spells. Before Aoi had a chance to slice Cait Sith in half, inky black trendils of dark energy exploded up from the ground, stretching towards the sky with such a speed that Aoi actually faltered. If he had acted right away, he might have been able to escape. However his reaction was delayed and by the time he knew what was happening, it was too late. Like black snakes the trendils fell on him, knocking Aoi to the ground and coiling their way around his body, holding him towards the earth. It was apparent that they had formed from sort of cage around him. Even though it looked flimsy, it had done its job; he was trapped.

"Now…" Cait Sith smirked as he looked down at the Samurai. There was something very satisfying about that. "Back to business, now that you are out of the way." With a final cold laugh, Cait Sith turned on his heel and headed into the forest, after the Chinese Shinma, leaving Aoi alone.

* * *

"Shit, wadda we do, wadda we do?" Yoshi chanted frantically, spinning in small circles in the clearing that they stopped in. "Why'd we stop! Those goobers are right behind us!"

"Yoshi, calm down! I'm trying to concentrate!" Ryuko said, sweat beading her brow and running down his face now that he had removed his bandana. He was kneeling on the ground facing a large tree. Before him lay six thick sticks all of about the same length and width, laying in a perfect row. The evil dagger was laying at the end of the row, still wrapped up in Ryuko's bandana. He had to remember to burn that when they got home later. He narrowed his yellow eyes at the sticks, weaving his power, focusing all of his concentration in on what the dagger looked like, down to the last detail. The whole ordeal was giving him a terrible headache. But then, finally, the sticks began to glow, then change, twisting, altering their shape, until finally he had six carbon copies of the dagger that Cait Sith was after. Ryuko smiled in spite of himself. It was some of his best work. If only his masters could be here to see it. "All right. Call the others." Yoshi stopped spinning in circles to look at him with a questioning glare in his eyes, but still stuck two of his fingers in his mouth and whistled shrilly. It was a dead give-away of their location, but they had to move fast.

Not more than a heartbeat later the others returned to them, all melting out of the shadows where they had been keeping watch. "They're coming!" Verde panted. "They're right behind us!"

"Then we have to move." Ryuko said, scooping up the six copies, leaving the authentic where it lay. "Here, everyone take one." For a moment, no one moved, all staring at the daggers as if he were holding vipers. Ryuko growled. "They're not evil! These are only to keep them off the track until we can get the real one back to Mori! I'll carry the real one!"

"But you'll be holding it in your bandana." Tacha said. An ugly purple bruise had already began to appear on the side of her face where the Quarl had struck her. "Won't it look a little suspicious?"

"They don't know that we can't touch the real dagger because they're immune to it." Ryuko's voice became a harsh whisper. "Just take one and run; keep them distracted. And make sure that you don't break them, or the whole spell will be broken!" From behind them they heard the unmistakable sounds of something crashing through the thick underbrush of the forest. Several things coming their way. There was an immediate mad grab for the daggers as the foliage began to thrash wildly, then exploded in a rain of demolished forest as the Quarl appeared. The Chinese Shinma broke away, heading towards opposite sides of the clearing. Kitsune stayed by Ryuko and Verde by Tacha, but they were all separated. 

"The game is over, children." Gia hissed. "Hand over the dagger and we might let your die quickly."

"We would love to do that creep, but we got just one problem." As if on cue, everyone held up their daggers. Ryuko was even able to hide his bandana by tucking the excess cloth into the palm of his hand. "We plum forgot which one's the real one!"

The Quarl hissed and snarled in rage as their eyes fell upon each copy. "You will pay for this travesty!" One of them screeched, and they charged, each one rushing towards a different Chinese Shinma. The Chinese Shinma, in return, wasted no time in getting a good head start.

The chase was on.

* * *

Kia and Yoshi pounded through the forest, not bothering to block themselves from the branches and brambles that snapped them in the face. "This is totally stupid!" Kia panted, wincing as a branch struck her across the face. "How long do we have to run for?"

"Until Ryuko can get that dagger back to Mori." Yoshi replied. "But until that happens, we got to keep those weasels busy!"

"And speak of the devil…" Kia sneered as her and her brother came to a sudden halt when they saw one of the Quarls – the one with the tall white hood – blocking their path.

"We are though playing games, children." The Quarl jeered, ignoring the bristling heat from the Chinese Shinma as the word "children" left his throat. He extended a pale white hand. "Hand over that seal!"

"Wow, you are so original. No death threats or…yelp!" Yoshi just had barely enough time to throw himself to the ground as dark energy lanced past him, just missing his ear. "Now that's a bit more like it, chode-monkey." Yoshi said, looking at the smoking hole that the attack left. "But not impressive enough." A sudden dangerous look glinted in Yoshi's eyes as he straightened and moved so he was back-to-back with his sister.

At the same time the twins raised their fake daggers, creating the illusion of a very twisted mirror. "If you want this dagger so bad, you'll have to come get it yourself." Kia said, her voice dark. "But be warned, Quarl. With the two of us combined, you take one step forward and we'll tear through your body like a wet paper towel." 

Gia scoffed at the threat, but nonetheless when he took a step forward, he felt a wave of building elemental energy, able to do very serious damage. This kids were not bluffing. This almost made him hesitate. As much as he would have resented it, he had to admit to himself that these Chinese Shinma had the upper hand of the situation. The thought infuriated him. 

"It looks as if you might need some help." A silky-smooth voice rose from what seemed like all around them, making Kia and Yoshi look around in confusion, trying to determine where the owner of the phantom voice was. Then it appeared before them, and Kia and Yoshi's drops dropped as if they had been unhinged. _It_ was the only appropriate word for it! When they had met Amy for the first time, they immediately assumed that he was a woman up until he spoke. But this…no matter how long they looked at it, they could not figure out if it was really male or female.

"Wha…wha…what is _that?"_ Yoshi blurted out, pointing a shaky finger to the new arrival.

The new…person…turned his (her?) frosty glare on the twins. Yoshi yelped again and ducked behind his sister, looking at the new person from behind her feathered wings. "Well…is this your problem? I can see where you come from, how ever. Two against one is not a very fair fight. In that case, I will help you out."

"Hold on just one bloody moment!" Kia snapped. "I think before we do anything, you'd better tell us who the hell you are first."

"Oh…how foolish of me." The new figure swept a mock-bow. "I am Shiki. I am Shi."

"She?" Yoshi replied. "You ain't look like any 'she' I ever saw! More like some really freaked up transvestite!"

Kia groaned. "It didn't mean 'she' as in female, Yosh. It means as in 'Shi', the clan Yui's from!"

Yoshi blinked, then shuddered. "It still doesn't make it any more right!"

"Enough small talk!" Gia snarled, catching their attention. "We finish this now." And both of their enemies charged.

"Yoshi! You take the she-male, I'll get ugly!"

"Oh, yeah!" Yoshi called after her as she tackled Gia head-on, sending them both reeling into the forest. "You always leave me with the freaks!"

"Enough with your griping, boy." Shiki hissed. He suddenly possessed a very strong air of danger, putting Yoshi immediately on his guard. "You will pay for your insults against our Clan! We battle!"

Yoshi smiled, his fangs bared. "Ladies first."

* * *

"This isn't right!" Verde complained loudly when the Quarl appeared just before him and Tacha. Only seconds before they had been running at about mock two through the forest, trying to do exactly what had happened, and that was trying to keep away from the Quarls. "Out of all the ones that were there, why did we have to get stuck with the bitch?"

Despite the situation, Tacha knew that this was a difficult situation for Verde to be in, since one moral he set for himself long ago was that he would not, under any circumstance, fight against a woman. Except maybe Tacha, but she was a long-time childhood friend, so that really did not count. "I really don't think we have a choice here, Verde." She said, her voice a soft hiss. "Do you remember what will happen if they get a hold of that seal? We have to swallow our prides and take care of this! Our very lives depend on it!"

"Have you no honor, Chinese Shinma?" The Quarl before them, the one woman of the four, said, her voice like poisoned silk. "Two against one? I thought that you always believed in a fair fight."

"And isn't it funny that it's only an unfair fight if you're the ones outnumbered, huh? Isn't irony great? Normally I would consider your words, but I cannot forgive you for what you have done to Miyu!" With that her curved claws came unsheathed and she rushed the Quarl, despite Verde's objections. Focusing her energy, Tacha made one powerful downward slash with her claws. For a moment, Gima jeered at the Chinese Shinma. She was too far away to do any sort of damage. Was this girl really so foolish?

The train of thought was cut off suddenly as a loud buzzing noise filled the air, overpowering Gima's ears. It sounded as if a swarm of a million bumblebees were descending upon them. She looked around frantically for the source of the sound, and then everything around her began to fall apart. The trees, the rocks, everything began to peel away in thin strips away from each other, curling into tight spirals. Trees were cut in half, boulders and rocks were reduced to half of their size, plants all around fell apart into shapeless lumps of mulch. Then the buzzing became louder, more intense, and Gima watched in horror as the edges of her clothes became badly frayed. But soon after the buzzing noise faded, then died completely. Tacha snapped her fingers. "Darn. Missed."

"Wh…what was that?"

"Just a little trick us Felines could do. My aim was a little off today, though. Had I been on cue, I would have cut you down to ribbons."

"Well, now, seeing that you have failed, I guess it's my turn." Gima did very well at masking the fear in her voice as she rushed Tacha, catching the Feline in the stomach and taking her down. The wind was knocked from Tacha's lungs in a whoosh of air and she gasped and struggled to catch her breath, only to find it impossible as Gima wrapped her hands around Tacha's throat. "I'll make you pay, wench." The Quarl growled. "I'll make you regret what you've done to our Clan in the past."

A few feet away, Verde was in turmoil. The Quarl was on top of Tacha, strangling her, but she had moved so fast that it completely caught him off guard. Now Tacha was in trouble and he found himself somehow rooted to the spot. He wanted to move, his mind screamed at him to move, but even the sight of this creature, this monster strangling his best friend did not budge him. 

__

Think!

Then he remembered how this Quarl threw herself so willingly in front of her master when she felt he was in danger. "Hey, Quarl!" He shouted. When she did not looked up, he continued, hopefully trying to get her attention. "I think that maybe your master is in danger!"

That got her attention, and she looked up sharply. "What did you say?" Her voice was low, dangerous, but there was still a hint of worry to it.

"I said that jerk-off of a master of yours is in trouble. My friend just told me through mind-speech that they have him on the run."

"You lie." Gima hissed, her pale eyes narrowing. "I would have known if he were in danger. He would have told me long before you would have ever known."

Verde cursed inwardly and began to weave a blocking spell around her. It built fast, but he was still able to make it "sneak in" rather than have it hit her all at once. "Are you so sure?" He jeered. "Maybe you should check your defenses."

For another moment she only glared at him, but then her eyes grew wide as she felt the weight of the shields around her. "Oh, Gods!" She cried, jumping to her feet and finally releasing her hold on Tacha's throat. "Master Cait Sith!" Without a second look back, Gima ran off into the forest to the aid of her master.

Coughing and choking, Tacha rolled over and pushed herself to her elbows and knees, Verde at her side to help support her. "I'm sorry I didn't act sooner. Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Tacha choked, rubbing at her neck. Her voice was hoarse. "Yeah, I'm alright."

"Well, at least you have a matching set." Verde mused, taking in the bruises on her neck, which were angry red welts rimmed with purple. "Who knows, it'll probably become some sort of fashion statement."

"Very funny." Tacha said flatly, raising shakily to her feet. "Come on, we've got to keep running. She'll be pissed once she learned that we've duped her."

* * *

__

Well, this is certainly a problem. At least I won't have to worry about holding back.

The Quarl that stood before Yoto was almost as big as he was, perhaps six inches or so shorter, but what he lacked in height he seemed to gain in shoulder width. He was covered in a black cloak with a triangular sort of hood, a gold marking on the side of his otherwise pale, featureless face.

"Ah, a worthy adversary." Gigi mused. "Unlike those children that follow you around regularly."

"I have no reason to fight you personally." Yoto's answer was short, to the point. "I am only here to prevent your resurrection. The Clan of Quarl is dead. You have no more of a chance of winning than you did in the last confrontation."

The hulking Quarl laughed darkly. "Oh, so you say. I hate for you to be disappointed, Chinese Shinma, but this time around it will be a little different."

Yoto narrowed his amber eyes at Gigi, then extended his hand into the air. The air temperature plummeted like a rock, the ground becoming blanketed in a smoky white mist. Trendils of mist began to collect at Yoto's outstretched hand, then condensed into his demon-hilted rapier. Concentrating on his power and drawing strength from the freezing temperature around, Yoto moved at strike and hopefully finish this bastard off.

To his surprise, Gigi only laughed. "How petty." Slowly, he raised a hand to his face.

What happened next Yoto never saw coming. As he moved to attack, hoping that by slaying this monster you slow down their advance, he was stopped when a very line spread across the Quarl's face, right where the mouth would have been. Yoto blinked, then blinked again. Was he seeing right? Then the line became broader, and opened wide, lined with sharp teeth and long fangs. The mouth was grotesquely alien on the Quarl, the mouth from some unholy demon. Yoto had only little time to react, summoning up his powers to create a shield of icy wall around him as Gigi attacked.

Normally, Yoto was not usually effected by anything that people would find "disgusting", but he had to admit to himself, this was pushing it. The Quarl drew back its head before it spewed something at him; it looked like thick, slimy strands of foamy white spider webs. It smelt sour. Clamping his jaw shut tightly, Yoto strengthened his shields as the slimy mass shot towards him. A sharp cracking sound filled the air as it came in contact with the wall of icy wind, stopping most of it as it dissolved into pebbles on the ground. Most of it was stopped like that; there was still some flecks that got threw, striking Yoto mostly on his shoulder and hip plates. A hissing sound reached his ears and when he looked down he saw that his armor was _melting_ where the vile stuff had hit him. 

__

It…erodes my armor… A sour burning smell like smoldering flesh reached his nose and when he looked down, he saw a smoking creator where the frozen spider-webs had fallen. _And that was when it had been frozen…what in the seven hells is this stuff?_

He looked back at the Quarl to see that the mouth was gone. "What the devil are you?" Yoto asked.

"Just what I said I am, fool. You are a clever one. No one has been able to stop my poison cocoon before. But perhaps next time you will not be so lucky."

Yoto bared his fangs at the Quarl, temporarily forgetting all codes of honor. Still embracing his power of ice tightly, he made a powerful downward slash with his sword, sending a frozen wave cascading at the Quarl with enough force to snap a tree in half. It hit the unexpected Quarl with full force, entrapping him in a solid block of clear ice. It would not hold him forever, and the monster was far from dead. Normally attacking like that was considered a great dishonor, but in a situation like this it hardly mattered. At least it had bought them some time…or so he hoped.

"You breath was wasted." Yoto said, sheathing his sword. "How petty."

* * *

"This is so not cool!" Kitsune wailed as she and Ryuko ran threw the forest. "I never though that this was suck so bad!"

"What, did you think that war was fun?" Ryuko snapped. "Oh no, jump!" Both of the Wolfins took flying leaps into the air to avoid the blast thrown at them by their chaser; one of the Quarls, the one with the black hood that looked like it had a cat's head on top. Kitsune landed in the branch of a tree while Ryuko hit a boulder and rolled.

"I am threw playing games with you!" Gio stormed as he stepped in front of Ryuko's path. "You will die and I will pry that dagger from your cold dead fingers!"

"Then I guess that's the way it's gonna be then!" Ryuko shouted back. Then he smiled as he saw Kitsune move her hands from the tree branch, one of top of the other, palms open to each other. 

"Terror Force!" She cried out, and bolts of energy shot from her hands with the force of a shot gun, speeding towards the Quarl and hitting him square in the back, sending him sprawling to the forest floor. Kitsune jumped down from the tree branch, bouncing off of Gio's back and joining Ryuko. She grabbed his arm and tugged, pulling him to his feet. 

"Are you all right?" She asked.

"Yes." He said, dusting himself off. "Do you still have that dagger?"

"Y-ep." Kitsune beamed, pulling out the fake. "All nice and pretty like, just like…" She was cut off abruptly as something caught her across the chest and threw her roughly backwards. Kitsune was slammed into a tree twenty feet away and fell to the ground with a whimper.

"Kitsune!" Ryuko called out, but she did not move. And before he had a chance to go to her, Gio was nearly on top of him. Worse of all, the dagger that she held was broken.

* * *

There was an odd stirring of power that made Kia and Yoshi stop in their tracks. Both had returned to the same battlefield, although they still fought their own opponents; Kia taking on Gia, Yoshi fighting against Shiki. For a while, they were evenly matched. But it was that one stir of power that brought the twins to a standstill. They both immediately recognized it as an unweaving of a spell, but it was neither fire nor thunder. That meant it was from one of their friends. And the only other one around who had used his powers was…

Sweat beading their brow, they looked down at their dagger, but saw nothing but ordinary wooden sticks.

"So…it is a lie." If Gia had a mouth, he would have been smiling in a most vile way. "You deceitful little brats…you will pay." 

Neither Kia nor Yoshi saw what was coming next. Gia threw out an arm at them, but it seemed as if it were growing longer, stretching towards them like some weird tentacle…before they could react, Gia seized Kia by the neck and threw her at her brother. With a scream she slammed into him, knocking both flat and the ground and out cold.

* * *

__

Gio! All of the other daggers are fakes! We can find the real one now!

That is already done, Gima… Gio thought with satisfaction. If all of the other ones had been fakes, than the one tucked into this Chinese Shinma's belt was the real deal. 

Ryuko was still too stunned to move, between seeing Kitsune hurt like that and the broken dagger. On top of that, he was still able to move after being struck in the back by a Terror Force attack. These things were monsters… That was why he was hesitant to act when Gio attacked, striking him so quickly that he hardly knew what was happening. The attacks stopped as quickly as they began, leaving Ryuko disoriented and confused.

Then something even more disturbing happened. For the longest time, he had assumed that these things had no mouths, but now…this one _did!_ A long, thin mouth with no lips that stretched from ear to ear…if it had ears. Something snapped from the mouth, something that could only be a tongue; a long, slimy, putrid-green tongue that was headed for one place…the dagger at Ryuko's belt. A certain panic washed over him as the dagger was taken away back into that disgusting yawning void of a mouth. Then it disappeared, and with it, the seal.

Then the world went black.

* * *

From within the confinements of the inky black cage, Aoi breathed deeply, focusing his thoughts, his strength and his energy. He had been doing so for a while, waiting for the right moment to strike…

__

Now!

Reaching up with one of his hands, he pulled the mask from his face. It changed swiftly, from a demon-like face to a long _katana_ sword. Unlike the one he used earlier, this was the one he was rewarded for being such a high rank of Samurai; the living sword, the one that could regenerate itself even if it was snapped in half. It was stronger than his regular sword, and it was just what he needed to escape. 

In a flash of cold medal and broken black pieces, Aoi swung his sword in a graceful arch, complex in its simplicity, cutting down the cage into nothing. But it was not the only thing that he had struck. With a final slash of the blade, something cried out in pain in the forest; a woman in pain. A second later, the female Quarl stumbled from the underbrush, clutching at her side. The wound was deep; black blood poured from her fingers. As much as he hated these vile creatures, Aoi still held his honor; he did not mean to hurt the woman. She had not been his original target.

"Leave this place!" He told her. "You cannot fight with a wound like that! Get out of here!"

"Never!" She snapped back, biting back the pain. "I will not allow you to harm Master Cait Sith! I will won't let you pass…never…"

"Risking your own life uh?" Aoi shifted the position of his sword into a battle ready position. "Very well!" Taking up his challenge, Gima raised her hand before her, her dagger-like nails gleaming. 

They charged, knowing that this was going to be a strike to the death.

There was a crack. Blood sprayed into the air, steaming.

Gima screamed.

"C-Cait…Sith…" She cried out, but her cry was weak and far away as she fell to the ground, dead.

Aoi did not look back as he sheathed his sword. "Justice, done right." He said to himself. There was more important things to worry about. Somehow, he did not know how, but that Western Shinma had gotten a hold of that seal. The worse nightmare of this country and its people was going to come true.

"I will not let him get away with it!"

Without a second thought, he took off running towards the ghost ship.

* * *

"Oh, Gods." Miyu gasped when she saw her friends stagger back from where ever they had been that day. "What the hell happened to you guys? You look thrashed!"

"You hit it right on the nose, there, Miyu." Tacha said. Ugly red and purple bruises rose on her neck and the side of her face.

"I'm sorry Miyu." Kia said solemnly. There was a gash along her hairline; dried blood covered half of her face, creating an ugly dark brown mask. "We lost the dagger. Cait Sith has it. I don't know what he plans to do with it, but I'm sorry."

Miyu stayed silent for a moment. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure you did all you could." There was a pause. "Now what?"

"From now on you're not leaving our sight." Yoshi said. He too was not looking too hot. "You guys heard what the weasel said. What ever they're here for, they're after Miyu. And if that bastard is doing what he says he's doing, then something tells me it's going to take a lot of effort to protect her."

Miyu felt her insides go to ice. Yoshi was being serious about this Western Shinma coming after her…it was definitely something to be worried about. "How long has this been going on for, exactly? This whole grudge, I mean, and what ever Cait Sith wants to do?"

"Long before you were ever born." Verde said. "All the way back to the old Shinma Wars."

"You see, that's the problem." Miyu said. "I don't know anything about these fabled wars. I don't care if you guys are protecting me for my own good, I have a right to know!"

The Chinese Shinma stared at her for some time before they all sighed in unison. "You're right, Miyu, you have a right to know so you know exactly what it is we're up against. We should go talk to Mori…"

"Uh, guys?"

They turned. "What is it, Tacha?"

"Yoto was right behind me, but now he's gone. Does anyone happen to know where he went?"

-----

To Be Continued…

----


	22. A Broken Seal

****

Author's note: No big changes, I just changed the ending because I wrote myself into a corner with the last corner. Hopefully this will change things so Chapter 23 will be out quicker.

Chapter Twenty-Two

The Broken Seal

Cait Sith lounged in the chair, legs crossed, the dagger-like seal dangling loosely from his fingers.

"That was certainly an…interesting experience. Too bad that certain sacrifices had to be made." He was not saddened by Gima's death; she had only been a bedmate on occasion. He was, on the other hand, more upset that none of those little Chinese Shinma bastards were not killed instead. There were far too many of them; something had to be done about that. But then he looked at the dagger and all of that was forgotten. "Well, sacrifices must to made to benefit the whole, hmm?"

Slowly he rotated the dagger between his fingers, and a vile smile spread across his face. "They are no longer any of our concern. Not them, or those pathetic Japanese Shinma. The time for our mother's resurrection is at hand! The Japanese Shinma are finished!"

Cait Sith stood up abruptly from the decaying throne, the dagger clenched tightly before him. "Sorry to make you wait, mother!" He proclaimed, seemingly talking to nothing. He was well aware of the rubble of the stone statue strewn along the ground, the broken remains of the Caial's stone body. Cait Sith was not distressed. Whether she was a whole statue or a pile of shapeless rocks, she would be resurrected regardless.

"Now! It's time for the great Quarl's rein to resume! It's time for your resurrection!" He threw the dagger to the middle of the rotting chamber where it floated there, perfectly straight. A faint glow surrounded it, a white light that looked as if it were dipped in oil. The same light wrapped around the stones laying strewn about the ground, casting strange ashen gray shadows along the cracked walls.

Cait Sith reached out his hands towards the dagger, weaving his dark magic into it. The dirty light continued to glow brighter, consuming the dagger's form and spreading out even further than that. Anyone who would have looked at it would have felt physically ill. Anyone, that is, except for Cait Sith. "Now!" He commanded. "From your frozen lair, arise to walk the earth once again!"

There was a blinding flash of light that filled every corner of the room, reaching out and beyond to engulf the entire ship. Smoke and dust billowed inside the rotting chamber, and as the light faded, the dust cleared as well. Cait Sith was no longer the only person standing in the dank, smoking cabin.

A figure was standing in the center of the room; a tall woman with dark skin wearing a long black dress, her hair pulled up into a tall white turban. For as young as Cait Sith was the last time he saw her, he knew the woman immediately, and his black heart swelled with joy.

"My…my mother!"

Caial, the infamous queen of the Quarl Clan, stood before her son in the flesh and blood rather than the cold stone that she had been imprisoned in for so long.

Caial was indeed a handsome woman, her red eyes like her son's narrow, with a strange rose-like marking on her left cheek. She was donned in a long black dress with a less than modest cut with a wide medal belt that resembled butterfly wings, and wore strange twisted jewelry around her lithe wrists and around her head and neck. A dark blue jewel that shone back no light and cast no reflection was centered in the middle of her turban. She smiled when she saw her son standing before her, a smile that could have frozen the spine of the strongest warrior even though it was probably a warm smile in Cait Sith's eyes. 

The prince of the Quarls took a few shaky steps forward as Caial slowly extended her clawed hand towards him. Cait Sith dropped to his knees and took her hand in his own, leaned forward and kissed it gently.

"Cait Sith…" Her voice was like poisoned spun from poison. "You've grown up splendidly."

"Mama…" Cait Sith began, almost too happy to speak. "I've…I've missed you, Mama!"

The Queen only smiled again, bending down to take her son's chin in her taloned hands. "I own you my gratitude for my resurrection. I'm so happy…"

Cait Sith leaned into his mother's hand, remembering how those hands would sooth him as a child, just the same as she had done before she left for the war and disappeared from his life. "Mama…I'm glad too!"

"Except for one thing…" Caial's gaze began hard, a look that could have cracked glass. "You annoying…" Power erupted all around her, a blaze of the oily white light that the dagger had emitted when it brought her back to the flesh. "_Overconfident fools_!"

With a deafening crash, the ceiling above them came crashing in, leaving a large jagged and smoking hole as something – or someone – dropped through, landing just behind Caial. When the dust cleared, Cait Sith felt a searing rage in his mind as he recognized the man standing with them. It was Aoi, the fool Samurai who had challenged him earlier to obtain the dagger that was rightfully his. "Curses!" Cait Sith shouted. "You followed me here? Too bad for you, though…you're already too late! Your name's Aoi, right? I'll never forgive you. You interrupted my meeting with my mother!" Aoi only smirked, his hand moving slowly to the hilt of his _katana_. This only enraged the Quarl more. "I'll kill you, bastard!" His dagger-like claws flashing, he charged the Japanese Shinma in a blood-rage.

"Cait Sith! Wait!"

Cait Sith came to an immediate halt at the sound of his mother's voice. "Ma…Mama?"

"Let the Japanese Shinma come to me!" She said smoothly. "We'll show him what we can do!"

Aoi bared his teeth at Caial. So the bitch had come back to life…oh well. She had been defeated once, so there was no law saying that she could not be defeated again. With the ring of medal he unsheathed his sword and charged as Caial rushed to meet him.

The air suddenly turned to ice as an Arctic wind howled into the chamber, followed closely by a massive ice crystal that flew through the air. It missed Caial by inches, but it did hit Cait Sith squarely in his shoulder armor. He fell down with a yelp of pain, immediately breaking Caial's attention on Aoi. Aoi turned to see whom it was who interrupted his fight and saw that it was Yoto, the towering Chinese Shinma, his icy powers woven tightly around him.

"You cannot win this, Japanese Shinma!" He told Aoi sharply, his deep voice making the very air quaver. "We're leaving. Now."

"This is none of your concern, Chinese Shinma. Leave now!" When he turned back to Caial, he almost gave a start when he saw she was almost right on top of him. Dark energy swirled about her, melting the very ice that filled the chamber.

Growling deeply, Yoto threw another spell between the two; a shield of ice nearly a foot thick. Under normal conditions, this would have been something to stop some of the strongest warriors in their tracks for a few moments, at most. This was not one of those conditions. They probably only had seconds to get out of there before both of them were killed. "Now, Japanese Shinma!" Yoto commanded, opening a transportation Gate. The wall of ice began to crack. There was no time to waste, even when it looked as if Aoi would protest. Loosing his usually ever-lasting patience, Yoto grabbed Aoi by the back of his neck and hauled him through the transportation Gate. It closed just as the wall of ice shattered.

* * *

"Ow! Not so hard! I already got a headache, ya know!"

"Stop bitching." Yoshi said, giving the bandage an intentional hard tug. "It'll get infected if you're not careful. Besides, I got a headache too, but you don't hear me griping!"

"Not since we gave you those aspirin." Ryuko put in. "Up until then, you were whining like a little girl with a skinned knee."

"Was not."

"Whatever, dude. Whatever you were doing, it was sounding really pathetic."

Miyu almost giggled, but not quite. It was obvious that all of them were in a bad mood, and not that she could blame them. They all got beat up pretty bad, and so it must have been a huge blow to their prides. They were also being careful to avoid the Western Shinma. Miyu could just imagine what ridicule they would go through if those bastards saw them in their current situation. 

"Ooh…" Yoshi moaned, sitting back against a tree when he was done wrapping up Kia's head. "My head…where's Yoto when we need him? I'm in serious need of some ice."

"Speaking of which," Tacha said, her furry black ears suddenly perking up. "Do you guys hear that?" They all listened, although it was not too hard to miss. It sounded as if someone was fighting with someone else. And one of those someones was unmistakably Yoto. They exchanged quick glanced at each other, then rose from their spots and headed off into the forest, heading towards the voices.

Sure enough, it was Yoto, arguing with, of all people, Aoi. The presence that surrounded them was heavy and dangerous. Anyone who would have tried to step between them probably could have been crushed under its weight. "You had no right to interfere with my battle!" Aoi was saying. "I could have taken care of the both of them…"

"You are a fool, Japanese Shinma!" Yoto rounded on him. "Kyuko could not even withstand against that witch's power, and she was the elite. What makes you think that you could have handled her?"

Before anyone could cut in and ask what it was they were fighting about, others who were drawn to the argument as well; not only the Western Shinma, but also Ranka, Ichirou, and the Shi joined them. 

"What are you two fighting about?" Ranka said, taking the first step forward. The two Shinma men towered over her, but she held herself as if she were six feet tall. 

"And what happened to you six?" Pazusu asked, looking over the Chinese Shinma's bruised forms.

"We got weasel bashed, that's what happened." Ryuko spat out, looking reluctant to say so.

"_You_ were defeated in battle?" Spartoi asked, sounding impressed. A majority of the Western Shinma suddenly looked very smug. About the only ones who did not were Larva and Pazusu, who looked troubled, and Lemunia, who was looking downright afraid, his arms moving to wrap around his middle.

"Yes, we were defeated!" Kia snapped, only to wince and reach up to touch her bandaged forehead. "We may be immortal, but we're not invincible."

"You did _what?_"

Ranka's sudden terrified outburst stopped all conversations immediately. When they all looked at her, she was pale, shaking, her eyes wild She was yelling at Aoi. Yoto had calmly stepped away from the pair to join the others. "Tell me that you wouldn't have done something so stupid! Something that could have gotten you killed just as it had killed my mother!"

Aoi looked down at her for a few moments, then bowed his head. They did not hear the first part of what he said, but it sounded a little like an apology.

"What?" Miyu asked. "What was so stupid?"

"He tried to take on Caial alone."

All conversation was halted, whether it be by confusion or just plain terror.

"What?" Pazusu's voice was flat.

"I said he tried to take on Caial by himself."

"Are you saying that she's _alive?_"

"No, I'm implying that the statue nearly fell over and crushed him, _of course_ she's alive. I hate it when people needed it spelled out for them!" This was disturbing indeed. Yoto never seemed to be the short, sarcastic type, especially under times of pressure.

All the Chinese Shinma were as pale as Pazusu and Ranka. "Well, I can royally say that we're royally fucked up this time." Ryuko said flatly. "Go us, we are so smooth."

"Why? What part did you have in it?" Night Gia asked.

"We were trying to get the dagger that would bring Caial back returned to Mori, but they got it first."

"What dagger?"

"The one that could release Caial from her stone prison."

"Why did they need it?"

"Because it was the one that Kyuko used to seal her."

"Who's Kyuko?"

"And who's Caial?"

At this point, everyone was talking at once. Questions were being asked faster than they were being answered. What little patience people had left was gone, and soon they were all fighting again in a fury of confusion. 

"_Quiet! Everyone just shut up!"_

The fighting stopped dead. Miyu was standing in the middle of the two groups, her arms held out as if she was trying to keep them from tearing each other apart. She looked very flushed and frustrated. The other Shinma could not help but stare. Especially Larva. He had never heard her loose control before… But since when? And where? He winced. The void pulsed painfully, only now it was worse than before.

"I feel as if I have been a good sport up until now, but this is going too far!" Miyu snapped. "Unlike the rest of you, I was _human_ until just a while ago, remember? I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. I don't know what these Wars are about, who Caial is or even who Kyuko is, and so maybe it would be helpful for all of us that someone to tell us who knows the whole story!"

The silence hung for a bit longer. Then…

THIS IS MOSTLY MY FAULT. I SHOULD HAVE TOLD YOU SOONER. PLEASE FORGIVE ME, MIYU. Mori appeared from the shadows as silently as she had been one herself, laying down at the edge of the clearing that they were all gathered in. Her sons were close at her side. I SUGGEST THAT YOU ALL SIT DOWN. THIS MAY TAKE A WHILE. No one asked any other questions as they all sat down exactly where they stood; everyone seemed to wanted to know as badly as the next.

I WARN YOU NOW, THIS STORY WILL NOT BE EASY TO ACCEPT GRACEFULLY. MIYU, I WAS HOPING THAT I COULD GIVE YOU THE ENTIRE STORY LITTLE AT A TIME, BUT I SEE THAT IT IS TOO LATE FOR THAT. OF ALL PEOPLE, YOU NEED TO KNOW THE MOST, BECAUSE IT'S ALL CONNECTED TO YOU.

Miyu breathed deeply, but nodded, preparing herself for the worse.

I AM ASHAMED OF NOT TELLING YOU OF KYUKO SOONER. KYUKO WAS YOUR GRANDMOTHER MANY GENERATIONS OVER, AND WAS THE VAMPIRE SENTINEL ALIVE DURING THE TIME OF THE SHINMA WARS. AND, AT THE TIME, SHE, TOO, WAS THE ONE WHOM THE QUARLS WERE AFTER.

"Well…they say vampires are immortal. Why don't we just find her and ask her for help?" Water Lipper suggested.

NOT POSSIBLE. Mori responded, looking at the water sprite from the corner of one golden eye. SHE IS DEAD. CAIAL KILLED HER BEFORE SHE WAS SEALED.

Silence once again filled the area, but this time it was accompanied by a heavy disturbed feeling. Miyu seemed to sense what everyone else was thinking;_ She killed a _vampire?

"Is…that possible?" Amy asked. "I mean, we know how hard it is to kill a vampire, even after…" Before another word got out, Mori growled a warning so deep that the ground shook. Amy immediately shrank back into the shadows, away from the Elder's hard glare.

YES…KYUKO DID, UNFORTUNATELY, GIVE HER OWN LIFE TO SAVE THE REALM AND THE PEOPLE THAT SHE PROTECTED. BUT IT WAS NOT ONLY HER THAT DIED IN THAT FINAL BATTLE. THE WITCH ALSO KILLED HER _SHIMOBE_ WITH ONE BLOW. Once again there was silence as Mori gave them time to digest the information. YOU, WESTERM SHINMA WHO ALREADY SEEMS TO BE FAIRLY AQUAINTED TO THE STORY. She was speaking directly to Pazusu, her eyes locked on him. THERE ARE MANY PARTS TO THIS HISTORY THAT EVEN I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH. MIGHT YOU BE SO KIND TO FILL US IN? It was not a request; it was an order, and Pazusu knew it. Taking a deep breath, he began to explain as well.

"Even thought they say that they are Western Shinma, the Quarls are not. They are not Shinma at all, nor have they ever had been. They have been living along side us for as long as anyone can remember, although we are not sure even where they had come from in the first place. There were very few who actually interacted with the higher class of the Western Shinma; most were too primitive and savage to do so. For a long while, we were at peace with them. Then Caial appeared.

"Somehow over the course of time, she moved her way up through the hierarchy of our realm, gaining power through fear rather than merely gaining it. Just before the war started, she had the majority of the higher powers wrapped around her finger and could get them to do just about anything that she wanted, except for one thing. One day she proclaimed that we rally an army and attack the Japanese Shinma Realm without giving any real reasons behind it. This was pushing it too far for some, since there was no reason to attack them for. And yes, as hard it is to believe, we do not go around attacking this land and it's people just merely because we feel like it." He glanced quickly at Miyu and the other Japanese Shinma.

"Then why are you here?" Ichirou retorted with a sneer.

THE HISTORY, GENTLEMEN. Mori put in before the argument got any further. TIME IS RUNNING SHORT.

"Like I was saying…the higher powers denied Caial's request, and that made her furious. Apparently she had been building an Army of Quarls behind our backs, and the first attacks began in the middle of the night when they stormed the weaker castles and killed everyone inside."

"Thus beginning the start of the war, which in fact was only a civil war between long-time allies." Kitsune put in. She sounded fascinated. "This is the side that no one else knows about."

"The fighting continued for many months. What started to be merely a movement to stop their ruthless attacks turned into a full-scale war. Every able-bodied man was called into battle and the women were summoned to help the sick and the wounded. The Quarls already had a upper hand, though, since they fought first. It took us a long time to get our act together and push them back.

"Then I learned of something terrible, a deep motive that Caial had once she was done with us. I learned of it when a good friend of mine discovered it, and Caial killed him, but not before he could tell it to me. Apparently she was still trying to attack the Japanese Realm. Not only that, she was after Kyuko, the current vampire sentinel. Although most Shinma want nothing to do with the Sentinel, anyone in their right mind knew that they are the backbone to the entire Shinma race, not just her own. With her out of the way, the Quarls would be unstoppable. The attack was to be executed within days, and I knew I couldn't wait for it to happen."

"It was you." Ranka said. "You were the one that warned us of their oncoming attack."

"Yes."

AND IT WAS BECAUSE OF THAT WARNING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO AVOID BEING COMPLETELY CRUSHED BY THE ARMY. FOR THAT, THE WHOLE CLAN IS GRATEFUL FOR, AND I OFFER MY THANKS ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE REALM. Miyu was slightly surprised by this, and by the look on everyone else's faces, so were they. The Elder sounded sincere. WE WERE PREPARED WHEN THEY REACHED OUR SHOTES, AS WE HAD ALSO ASKED THE CHINESE SHINMA FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE AS WELL, WHICH WAS ANSWERED BY A SMALL ARMY OF THEIR STRINGEST WARRIORS. WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP THEM AT BAY IMMEDIATELY. WE ALSO RECEIVED HELP FROM A RATHER UNEXPECTED SOURCE; THE WESTERN SHINMA FOLLOWED THE QUARL AS WELL AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, ALL THREE CLANS WERE FIGHTING TOGETHER RATHER THAN AGAINST ONE ANOTHER. 

THE FIGHTING CONTINUED FOR THREE DAYS, AND IN THAT TIME WE WERE ABLE TO KILL OFF A GOOD MANY OF THE QUARL. THE WAR ENDED ON THE DUSK OF THE THIRD DAY WHEN CAIAL DESTROYED TOTOGENKI, THIS REALM'S LARGEST VILLAGE. ONCE IT WAS IN RUINGS, SHE CALLED FOR KUYKO PERSONALLY.

KYUKO ANSWERED TO THE CHALLENGE, ALONG WITH HER _SHIMOBE_ AND HER SON. CAIAL WASTED LITTLE TIME TALKING AND ATTACKED THEM FIRST. TARAKIN FELL FIRST WHEN THE QUARL IMAPELD HIM WITH HER BARE HAND, KILLING HIM IN THE INSTANT. THEN SHE ROUNDED ON KYUKO AND CRUSHED HALF OF HER CHEST. 

Miyu suddenly felt very sick as the image entered her mind. She knew that as a vampire she was quick and hardly ever caught off guard; the thought of someone else being that fast and being able to take a vampire – who was no doubt much more skilled than she was – by surprise was terrifying.

THE BATTLE WAS SHORT-LIVED. KYUKO WAS A MASTER OF THE BOW, AND WITH THE LAST OF HER STRENGTH SHE CONCEALED A SPELL WITHIN HER LAST ARROW AND FIRED IT AT CAIAL. THE ARROW STRUCK TRUE, AND IMPRISONED THE WITCH WITHIN HER STONE BODY. IF KYUKO HAD NOT BEEN DYING HERSELF, SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO KILL HER. THE SAME ARROW TURNED INTO THE DAGGER-SEAL, WHICH I HAD BEEN ENTRUSTED TO WATCH. SINCE THE STONE STATUE COULD NEVER BE COMPLETELY DESTROYED, EVEN IF IT WERE SHATTERED, KYUKO ASKED THE CHINESE SHINMA TO TAKE IT TO THEIR REALM, FAR AWAY FROM ANYONE WHO MIGHT TRY TO RESURRECT HER. AND, AS WAS JUST NOW PROVEN, IT WAS POSSIBLE IF THE DAGGER WAS BROUGHT BEFORE HER AND IF ENOUGH DARK MAGIC WAS WOVEN INTO IT, IT WOULD UNDO THE SPELL. KYUKO DIED MOMENTS LATER, AND SHE AND HER _SHIMOBE_ WERE CREMATED IMMEDIATELY. THEN, TO OUR HORROW, THE STONE STATUE DISAPPEARED NOT MORE THAN AN HOUR AFTER THE WAR ENDED, WITH NO TRACE TO WHERE IT DISAPPEARED TO.

"It must have been some of the surviving Quarl." Tacha said. "We had thought that they were all dead, but I bet it was those four that we encountered today who took her back."

"And Cait Sith was believed to be the last living Quarl in existence, so that thought never entered anyone's mind."

"Or so we thought." Pazusu answered grimly. "He was still young, but still angry at the Japanese Shinma for doing that to his mother. I knew that the statue had disappeared, but I did not think that it was taken back to our realm. Cait Sith must have hidden it from us until the time was right."

"Come to think of it, wasn't it Cait Sith who suggested that we come here in the first place?" Carlua inquired.

"Yes, it was. It was just the opportunity he needed. He would sneak off to retrieve the seal while we were distracted by…other things." He could almost feel Miyu's eyes boring into the side of his head. "I thought it was suspicious that he would think of it. I'm surprised I didn't think of it. God, I was so naïve." 

"You couldn't have known." Kia said. "None of us could. We all thought that the Quarl was a dead Clan."

"Well, why did he wait so long? Why didn't he do this a long time ago?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Yoto answered. "He was waiting for the next vampire to be born."

Once again, there was silence.

I FEEL THAT THEY WILL ATTACK SOON, PERHAPS EVEN BY TOMORROW. AS POWERFUL AS SHE MAY BE AS WE SPEAK, CAIAL WILL NEED TIME TO REGAIN MOST OF HER PREVIOUS STRENGTH. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU ALL STAY TOGETHER. WESTERN SHINMA, SINCE YOU WERE THE ONES THAT BROUGHT THIS HERE, YOU ARE ALL TO STAY HERE AND AID US. IT IS CLEAR THAT, EVEN WITH MIYU AND THE CHINESE SHINMA ON OUR SIDE, WE CANNOT DEFEAT THEM ALONE. IF YOU ARE STILL ALIVE AFTERWORDS, YOU ARE TO LEAVE THIS WORLD AND NEVER RETURN. NOT YOU ALL KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST. I HAVE NOTHING MORE TO SAY.

Miyu had not moved since their conversation began, but a frown was marring her features; she was becoming more annoyed with the whole situation, now even more so than before she did not know any of this. True, she had some background, but that did not explain why they were after her. What was it that made her so special to these people? And, more importantly, why did all the people who felt this way want her dead? 

"So what does any of this have to do with me?" She asked Mori shortly. "Why should this be my problem? _They_ brought them here." She cast a nasty sideways glare at the Western Shinma. "I don't see why any of us should be concerned."

IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE THE GUARDIAN, MIYU, AND IT IS YOUR DUTY TO DEFEND THIS COUNTRY AGAINST ANY OPPOSING THREAT.

"Great." Miyu snapped, wanting to throw her hands over her head. "You all seem to know more about this than I do, so why don't you do it instead?" With that she rose from her spot on the ground, turned sharply on her heel and stalked into the forest. Mori did not say anything. Her ears only drooped against her head.

Tacha rose to go after her, but Yoto put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her back down. "People need to be alone at a time like this." He said. "It's a lot for her to process right now. Just let he be."

While everyone was left speechless and feeling very disturbed, Larva rose silently and slipped into the shadows where he could follow Miyu, unhindered.

-----

To be continued…

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	23. The Meaning of a Ribbon

Author's Note: Hey guys! I am so sorry this took so long to get out…I've been really busy the last few weeks. Between finals and personal problems, it's been nuts. And this chapter was, for some reason, very hard to word right, and I wanted to word it right because…well, you'll have to see, won't you? I hope this chapter is as touching as I wanted it to be, but you tell me. As a small warning, this chapter is a bit violent towards the end. Enjoy!

***

"Who can say if your love grows,   
As your heart chose?   
Only time..."

~Enya, _Only Time_

Chapter Twenty-Three

The Meaning of a Ribbon

He found her sitting on a tree branch, staring off into the sunset, obviously lost in her own thoughts. _Poor girl…so much weight on her shoulders at one time…it's not fair._ He caught himself. Why did he think that? More importantly, where had he thought of that before? The empty void in his mind pulsed, sending a wave of pain thought his body. The waves were getting worse, and the burning pain was lasting longer afterwards. 

But, he knew for the time being, it did not matter where this sense of sympathy came from nor why he constantly reprimed himself for thinking that way. The important thing was that he felt, deep inside, that Miyu did not want to really be alone right now. And the only person who knew that and could be of some help was him.

For a moment he was unsure of what to say. It seemed that there were sometimes when she became more upset when he spoke to her, as if it inflicted physical pain on her…but that was understandable. What he did to her a few days ago…she had nearly died. When it had happened, he had felt little remorse. That is, until her golden eyes locked with his; then an anguish he had never known before nearly stopped his heart. Now the memory sickened him. Why had he wanted to kill her? He could barely remember. Right now it seemed to be so far away and unimportant…

He grit his teeth against the sudden wave of pain. Had he thought that before? Why was he getting all these visions of déjà vu? This time the pain did not go away right away. It clung to his mind with claws like white-hot daggers, searing and burning. It tore at the back of his eyes, within his temples and stirred nausea in his stomach. The wave was so bad that he reached up with one hand and held it against his eye, as if applying pressure would help relieve the pain, but it was to little avail. It took what seemed like hours before the pain passed enough for him to speak. Apparently Miyu still did not know he was there.

"Miyu?" He began cautiously, his voice soft. Something told him that with as on the edge as she was, the wrong move could probably result in the removal of his head. "Are you…are you all right?"

"No, I'm not all right." Her voice was bitter but not towards him; it probably would have been that way to anyone who would have been speaking to her right now. Still staring into the sun, she put a hand to her forehead as if she had a headache. He did not doubt it if she did. "I don't understand. Why is all of this happening? And why now?" She suddenly gave a short, cold laugh as if she thought of something ironically funny, and let her head slip from her hand, her face hidden in her arms. "You know, if someone would have told me that all of this was going to happen a week ago, I would have laughed at them. But now…now I don't know what to think."

"What are you planning to do?" Larva tried to keep his voice casual as he leaned against the nearest tree. In reality, it was because the pain in his head was rapidly draining all the strength from his legs. He was not sure of how much longer he could remain standing; they had been trembling for some time now.

"Do what I was born to do and defend this land. Besides, it's all that I have left…"

Larva had to bite down, hard, on his lip to restrain the hiss of pain that threatened to escape from them as the void shuddered. "What about the Chinese Shinma? You seem to be friends with them."

"They're all very nice, but it's not the same." Miyu's voice was even more hushed, as if she was afraid that one of them was going to hear her. "They don't fully understand."

Unsure of what to say next, Larva did not say anything. There was a few more moments of silence before either one of them spoke again. The tension was running high, like an over stretched spring. Finally…

"Are you…afraid…of what's going to happen?"

Her reaction nearly made him jump as her cool composure almost shattered. "You're damn right I'm afraid! Did you not hear Mori back there? This…Caial…killed a full-grown, pureblooded vampire _and_ her _Shimobe_ with her bare hands! How can I stand a chance? A defenseless girl…_half-breed?_" Those last words were so venomous that Larva flinched. Miyu's rage left as soon as it came and she set back against the tree again, staring at the sun. "What chance do I have?"

Larva was stunned. Miyu had never been this short with anyone, ever. If he thought that he was speechless before, it was nothing compared to now. What could he possibly say to take away that anxiety? But he didn't have to speak when Miyu sighed.

"I…I can't do this alone. Regardless of how many people there are with me… I can't do this by myself." Her voice was tainted with disbelief and, if he was not mistaken, downright fear. "She killed her _Shimobe_ with her bare hand."

It was a different type of fear, Larva noted. "You're…not afraid of death for yourself. Who is it?"

Her answer was unnerving. "Yours."

Larva was taken aback. It was obviously concerned for him, she proved that a few nights ago, but to value his life more than her own? "Miyu…" He looked up to where she was sitting, but was surprised to see that she was gone. A little surprised, he looked back straight before him and gave a start when he saw that she was now standing across from him, leaning up against a tree.

"Sorry." She said, her face still somber. "Just a trick Mori taught me."

"Why…are you so concerned for me?"

"Because…" It suddenly became very hard to talk as her throat constricted. "Because, you proved to me once how much you wanted to protect me." Her head was hanging so low that her bangs covered her eyes, which Miyu was grateful for when she had to squeeze her eyes closed when tears sprang to them as the horrid memories crossed her mind. "And if Caial's that determined again…I…I don't want her to kill you. I couldn't bare to stand that again. That's why…that's why I don't want you to get involved tomorrow. I don't want to see you hurt because of me."

For a brief moment, Larva forgot the pain for how much her words touched him. This girl…why was she so concerned for him? What did he once mean to her? What did she mean to him? Unsure of what to say, Larva remembered suddenly the red ribbon he had been carrying with him for the last couple of days. "I…found this a few days ago." He said, holding out his hand with the ribbon curled on it to the vampire. "I thought that you may want it back."

Miyu looked up and took the ribbon from his fingers, looking over it, feeling its silky smoothness glide between her own fingers. Unwillingly the tears returned, and this time she made no motion to hide them or hinder their fall. "I just…" She started. "I just want things to go back to the way it was before. When it was just you and me. Why do things have to be so different?" Larva did not say anything, but only watched her, concerned. "You…really don't remember anything, do you?"

Larva planned his next words carefully, as to not to upset her any more. Unable to think of anything, he only shook his head slowly.

Once again, Miyu seemed to loose some of her patience, but was able to keep herself from yelling. "Gods, Larva, what the hell did they do to you to make you hate me so much? And why now?"

"Miyu, I don't hate you." Larva put in quickly, wanting to put an end to that absurd thought in her mind. "I…I don't know what happened before I woke up on the ship, but all I do know is that I can't remember you." Before he could stop himself, he was crossing the space between them, one hand on her shoulder and the other curling a finger under her chin, making her look up at him. When their eyes locked the void writhed, but he pushed it back as best as he could. "But I want to remember. It feels as if there's something missing inside me. Can you help me?"

No tears came to Miyu's eyes this time. Instead, unable to restrain herself, she broke free of his grip only to throw herself into his arms, wrapping her arms tightly around him as she buried her face against his chest. For a split second, Larva felt awkward, unsure of what to do, but he felt something stir inside of him and he wrapped his arms around her, suddenly feeling very comfortable and content.

It did not last for long. In the next moment it felt as if something heavy and hard slammed into the inside of his skull. The pain that rolled over him was so intense that it made him fall to his knees, breaking his hold on Miyu and clutch his head in his hand. He was dimly aware of Miyu calling his name; the world around him was spinning and out of focus. It felt like hours before everything straightened out again and the pain had subdued enough for him to make out Miyu's face, which was looking extremely worried for him. "…rva? Larva?" Her voice faded back from the whining ring that had filled his ears. "Larva? What happened? Are you all right?"

"I…I don't know." He said, his voice shaking. He was feeling incredibly sick as well, but he understood now as well. "I don't know what it is. It feels as if something's inside my mind…and every time I think of you, it causes me pain… It's keeping me from remembering you. Miyu…I think it's killing me."

A cold fear swept over Miyu. Trembling slightly, she reached up and placed her cool fingers on the side of his temple. She learned how to sense people's thoughts long ago, not necessarily read minds, but just enough to locate the source of their pain. And, sure enough, there was something in Larva's mind… Or, rather, missing from it. In all of her years, Miyu had never felt something quite like this. It was unmistakably a void, but capable of destroying Larva's mind and, with it, his soul. The fear grew as she thought of some way she could break it. 

Suddenly the void pulsed again and tremors of pain coursed up Miyu's arm and tore at her own mind, making her see stars. Larva moaned and his head fell against her shoulder, arms wrapped tightly around her. Then, to her horror, Miyu realized that this thing was drawing her in to. The pain was becoming so intense that she could not react to it anymore, and before she could think of what this evil possibly was, darkness was creeping into the corners of her vision, something stabbed painfully in the back of her eyes, and the world went black.

* * *

__

It was a heart breaking sight. A small girl was kneeling on the ground, a small green bird curled up in her small hands, very still and very dead. She was weeping helplessly, not understanding what had just happened. His heart went out to her, and for that time he forgot all about what his original mission was. At that time it seemed to be the least important thought.

As a child, Miyu never forgot her "big brother" that told her that life was a beautiful moment, and when that moment was up, then they had to move on. During the warm days, she would spend hours outside, playing with a small stuffed bunny-doll her parents gave her, talking to him as if he was right beside her, when in reality he would watch her from the trees, much to Lemures' disdain. The other man would constantly badger him about finishing her off when she was young, but Larva never even took his words in consideration. She was so young, so innocent, it seemed to be a crime to take her life now. So instead he watched her with a fondness that he surprised himself with, content when she was happy. Her laughter was like music to him. And when her father died, her mother found her crying in the garden, asking him if her father's moment of beauty was over as well. Her mother heard her calling to Larva, her "onii-san_", and told her daughter that she was too old to be playing with imaginary friends. Maybe it was because Larva was not there to comfort her like he did when her bird died, but Miyu only agreed with her mother, and never spoke to Larva in the garden again. For some reason, a part of him felt sad because of it._

Never spoke to him, that is, until Lemures finally talked him into carrying out what they were there in the first place for. By now, Miyu was thirteen years old; young by human standards, but too old by Lemures'. Finally, tired of Lemures' constant griping, he approached Miyu one day after school, when she was walking home, completely alone. It surprised him that she remembered his voice so quickly, after so many years when he thought she had forgotten about him. Her eyes were wide with fright and she dropped her books, the papers scattering at her feet as he approached her, telling her that the call of her blood must be silenced. Of course, Miyu had no idea what he was talking about, but he did not dare to mention to her that she was, in fact, a vampire, in fear that it might trigger something inside of her. What had actually was something that neither him nor his Western Shinma companion could except. Until then Miyu seemed to be rooted down to the spot in fear, but suddenly she panicked and broke away from in, cutting her hand on his sharp fingernail in the process. As she looked at her blood, her heart beat changed, her eyes blazed gold, and she lunged at him, sinking her new fangs into his neck and drank his blood. Then she did something even more unsuspecting; she gave Larva some of her blood, thus binding them together, as master and servant, forever.

When Miyu came out of her trance, a look of pure terror crossed over her face. She stared wide-eyed at this man who continued to stand before her, who looked to be in equal shock. Then she saw the blood on his neck, and tasted the blood in her mouth. She shook her head in disbelief, moaned, and took off running towards her house, leaving Larva standing alone.

Lemures had abandoned him, undoubtedly humiliated and outraged at Larva's failure. He couldn't say that he blamed him, but it was a blow that hurt him. Lemures had been, after all, one of his best friends since childhood. But, at the same time, he couldn't make himself angry with Miyu, either. It was not her fault, and he knew that her actions were not against her own will… But something had happened when they exchanged blood. It was as if he was no longer alone in his mind, as if a small piece of Miyu was with him… He could feel her thoughts, her emotions…and they shook him to the core. Suddenly feeling concerned, he went to the house that Miyu lived in with her mother, a place that now seemed very strange and alien to him.

Miyu had stayed home sick that day from school, although her reasons were for anything beyond sickness. What that man…Larva, his name was…had called her…a vampire. She drank his blood. She was a vampire… Did that mean that the normal rules of a vampire apply to her? All throughout the day as she sat in her dark room, she clutched a crucifix tightly in her hand, but was careful to avoid anything that cast a reflection, as if she was frightened that she would not see one if she looked. The worse part about all of at was how Miyu avoided the sunlight. She spent the entirety of her "sick" days avoiding the sunlight that seeped into her room over the course of the day, in fear that the sunlight would hurt her as it would vampires in all the stories. Larva watched her helplessly from the shadows of the Japanese Shinma Realm, wanting to tell her that the sunlight wouldn't hurt her, but he was almost…afraid to confront her, afraid of her reaction. He would not blame her if she hated him…

She avoided to expose herself to light for the entirety of her sick days until dusk the last day, when she had fallen asleep and found herself cornered by the setting sun. Instead of panicking, like he thought she would, she merely extended her hand towards the beam of sunlight, hesitated, then dipped her fingers cautiously into it. Larva watched with a sort of pitiful feeling as the young girl moved her hand in the golden light as if it was something she had never seen before and wondered about her humanity…or now, lack of it.

After she discovered that sunlight would no longer hurt her, Miyu tried to return to her life as normally as possible, but it was useless. Larva's presence was always with her, no matter how far he tried to separate himself from her, but it was difficult to keep such a distance. It was like there was some invisible bond that kept pulling them together, no matter how hard they fought it. But the worse part was Miyu's growing thirst for blood, which over the course of the next week sent her into a reeling confusion of frustration and agony, a mix of feelings that kept her running from everyone who tried to talk to and anyone whom she could confide with.

Then came the faithful night when the Osa of the Japanese Shinma Realm came to visit Miyu and bestow upon her the destiny that lay before her. When her mother revealed to her their legacy and how she had always known what they were, and what Miyu was to become. The poor girl was devastated, and no matter how much she denied it, there was still a part of her that knew and could not deny that it was true. For the first time since her Awakening, Larva appeared before her, trying to comfort her and convince her that she had to accept her new role as a vampire for her own sake, but his explanations infuriated her. She fled into the forest then, and it was not until her mother followed that he finally left as well, wanting to find the scared girl before something else did.

He searched for her for what felt like hours, until a wave of emotions rolled over him so strong that he thought it would have knocked him out. It was a sorrow unlike any he had ever felt before, a sorrow so strong that he felt as if he was in pain. But it was not sorrow from him; he was feeling Miyu's emotions through the bond that she had created when she drank his blood. She wanted to die she was in so much pain…it was like she was being tortured and forced to die a long, slow death…a cold fear had swept over him. He followed the feeling of sorrow, using it as a sort of homing devise until he finally found her.

The poor girl looked terrible; dirty and bloody, her eyes swollen and her face streaked with tears, and on top of it she looked utterly exhausted. When she saw him, they only stared at each other for a few moments before Miyu spoke. Her voice was raspy and ever word caused her pain. "You came here to kill me, right?" She demanded of him. "Please, just get it over with…" Until that time, Larva had forgotten that that was the original reason why he had come to this place…That seemed so far away and unimportant now. Without thinking twice, he walked over to her as she ran again, but this time right into his arms where she wept bitterly against him, begging him to take away the pain. There was nothing more that he could do other than give her the silent comfort that she so desperately needed.

Miyu fell asleep right there in his arms, her exhaustion finally winning her over. Larva lifted her gently into his arms and carried her back to the home that she and her mother lived in, which was now just Miyu living in it. He did not need to ask her what happened that night; the sorrow that he felt through their bond told him enough. Larva himself had never known his birth parents, as they were both killed when he was very young, so he could not image the pain of loosing a parent, let alone both of them, and be aware of it. Not more than an hour after he brought her back to the house, she was consumed by a fever that lasted for several days. There were several times when Larva was afraid that it would kill her, and without any medication to treat it, she had to wade it out on her own. During her sickness, the Osa appeared again, and Larva stubbornly refused to let him awake Miyu to tell her about the task that she was to endure. Instead, the Osa told him, and when Miyu was once again well enough to walk up and be aware of everything that was happening, then he would tell her.

After the fever broke, Miyu surprisingly cried little for the death of her mother, as if the shock of the recent events had numbed her emotions, only shedding her tears at night. She spoke little, and spent most of the long days staring at the wall, not talking to him, and nearly ignoring his presence. This only became a problem when he had to convince Miyu that she needed blood to survive. When she refused to hunt, Larva finally held his wrist to her lips and held her there with a gentle firmness until she finally drank for him. This sometimes took as long as an hour before she accepted his offer, but still drank little from him. Perhaps it was this personal sacrifice that finally convinced Miyu that she had to hunt for blood. This too, was time consuming and dangerous to not only to her victims but also to herself as well, but she nonetheless learned quickly and was soon strong enough physically and emotionally to endure her task. And still, she would not talk to him.

Larva wanted to convince her that he meant her no harm, and was there to help her while she became adjusted to her new life style, so there was no reason for her to be afraid of him. For several moments, Miyu just continued to stare at him with those eerie golden eyes, looking as if there was something she wanted to say but was having a hard time putting it into the correct words. "Are you…upset with me because it was my touch that awoke you?" He asked finally, a little anxious of the answer, but was surprised when Miyu shook her head.

Finally, she took a deep breath and said, with her words slightly impeeded, "It's the fangs. I keep biting myself."

There was a brief moment of awkward silence, but then Larva could not help himself from laughing. And, to his surprise, Miyu smiled as well. That had done it. The ice was broken. The mood between them was finally comfortable, and Miyu once again entered his arms, when he embraced her like the night her mother died, insuring her that he would protect her and help her through this difficult time.

Now that she was finally talking again, she started asking Larva endless questions about what she was, and what it was exactly that lie before her. It was like she had been born again. Larva was left explaining to her what the Shinma were, the exact Clans, and what role the vampires played in them. It was about as easy as teaching someone how to breathe. When she discovered her powers (in which she nearly set the house on fire when a fireball appeared suddenly in her hand one day), he did his best to teach her how to control it, trying his best to remember how his own masters taught him. The first few attempts to banish the Shinma were extremely difficult and often left Miyu injured and Larva finishing the job, but that too she learned quickly. The years seemed to melt together in that period, and it was not until he looked back on it that he realized it. The sorrow of loosing her mother still hung like a black cloud over her, but now when she cried, it was in his arms rather than hidden in her pillow.

Miyu seemed to be more aware of the years passing since her Awakening, and there was something definitely bothering her after this time. Larva sensed it almost immediately, and when he asked what it was that was bothering her, she was almost hesitant to answer.

"It just…occurred to me, not too long ago." She said slowly, as if she were searching for the right words to use. "Spending all this time here…I mean…" She took a deep breath. "You don't have anyone waiting for you at home, do you? A wife…or a girlfriend?"

Her question surprised him, but he only smiled gently and shook his head. "No…no one like that."

"Someone that you might be interested in?"

"No."

"What about…your family? Wouldn't they be worried about you?"

Larva thought about this for a moment. "My family and I agreed a long time ago that no matter what we did with our lives, the others would accept it without any strife."

There was silence for a moment, but there was still something on her mind. "There has to be someone missing you, or you missing someone or something. I…don't want you to think that you have to stay here because of me."

Her concern for him touched him deeply, and he only smiled at her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and drawing her close. "You need me more that anyone or anything over there does. I promised I would stay with you and protect you, and that's what I plan to do." Another pause. "Do you…want me to go?"

Miyu shook her head, almost violently, and curled closer to him. "No…no, I like it when you're here. It's nice not having to be alone. I just don't want you to feel sad about the things that you had to leave behind."

Larva did not know what to say to this, but he was finally able to think of something that sounded halfway decent. "How about this…I'll stay as long as you want me to. If you ever feel as if you can handle this on your own, or if you think you can find someone better to stay with you, then I'll leave. But until then, I'll stay with you." Miyu nodded, but he could tell that that was something that she wanted to hear.

The years still continued to pass. Although Miyu's body was frozen, her mind still aged, and eventually she adapted a fiercer, more merciless role of a guardian, but one that Larva had long expected. She was becoming more hostile to the Shinma, more independent of her own need for blood, a strong woman of mind trapped in a child's body. Rogue Shinma everywhere soon knew her name and feared it. But still…there was still that aspect of her past that still tainted her, still made her weep in her sleep and occasionally call for her mother. A time when she still yearned for her past and, at the same time, resented it. Such a time was when she was staying at a girl's boarding school and was confused by the bond of love between sister and brother, having forgot what mortal love was. It was at that time that she was glad that she was what she was…a vampire. But it was also when she revealed to Larva that, at the same time, she was grateful that he was always with her. On top of that, she revealed to him that she loved him, more than anything else in the world. When those words left her lips, and when Larva embraced her, he knew that he would never leave her, by no means and whatever tried to tear them apart. They were vampire and Shimobe_. That was the end of the argument._

* * *

When Miyu woke up, her head was spinning, her temples throbbing. Moaning, she pushed herself into a sitting position, but even before she opened her eyes she knew that she was no where she was supposed to be. When she lost consciousness, she had been in the Fifth Layer of the Japanese Shinma Realm, but now…she was in a new world all together. It was black everywhere she looked, and for a moment after her awakening she wondered if there was something wrong with her eyes. There was absolutely nothing obscuring the endless darkness; no visible walls, and no ceiling or sky that she could distinguish. Just unending darkness.

Then she was aware of one other thing; she was not alone in this place. There was someone else with her; someone very familiar, although it was as if the presence was muffled by a thick wall. Nausea gripped her as she made an attempt to stand up, and she forcefully pushed it back. It was a bit of a struggle to her feet, and what felt like after hours of sickening fighting, she was finally standing up, looking around her. Once again, nothing but unbreakable darkness, except…

Her sharp eyes caught sight of something in the distance…or rather, some _one_. In the darkness it was hard to make out who it was, but Miyu got the feeling that she knew him from somewhere… Her legs felt like lead weights as she made an attempt to walk towards the figure. It felt as if there was something pressing down on her from above, making it a great effort to move forward, but Miyu kept pushing herself further, knowing that she had to see who this person was. But when she was finally close enough to see who it was, she nearly cried out in terror.

It was Larva, but he looked so horrible that Miyu barely recognized him. His skin was paler than usual, his hair falling limply over his eyes, which were lined by dark, almost black circles. There was dried blood on his face and fresh blood dripping from his tattered cloak, forming dark pools on the already black ground. His hands were bound over his head in cold steel chains, and there were chains around his neck and legs, preventing him from moving. Trickles of blood ran down his arms where the chains were biting into his skin. These were not real chains, Miyu knew. They were conjured of magic, and it looked as if they were the cause of Larva's pain. If she could just get him out of those chains, then maybe she had a chance to save him…

Despite the force holding back her legs, Miyu broke into a run, desperate to get to him as soon as possible…she was almost there…

It suddenly felt as if she had hit a brick wall at full-force, knocking her backwards and causing her to fall, in invisible force holding her back crushing down on her, taking the breath from her lungs. Gritting her teeth against the pain in her body, Miyu pushed herself back into a sitting position and clambered back to her feet, moving forward again, but this time with more caution, her hands outstretched. Her fingers touched something in front of her, although there was _nothing_ in front of her…it was like a glass wall…

Then she understood. She knew where she was. She was inside his mind. This thing before her, this invisible wall, was the seal that was blocking Larva's memories, the thing that was slowly killing him. And she…this was not her real body. It was a shadow of her physical body, the part of her soul that their bond had tied to him. She also understood that it was now or never; if she did not save Larva now, she would loose him. Balling her hands into fists she slammed them hard against the glassy surface. Pain lanced along her arms, burning her very being, but she ignored it. "Larva!" She cried through the glass, hoping that her voice would carry through. The force holding her back tore her throat with that one word. This magic was going to use all of its evil power to keep her from getting to him. _Like hell it will_, she thought fiercely. _I'll free him even if it kills me._

It looked as if she was not cut off from him completely. At the sound of her voice, Larva winced and raised his head weakly, but when he saw her, a strange panicked looked can over his face. "Miyu…" Almost immediately the chains around him tightened, cutting into him. The streams of blood along his arms began to flow again. "Miyu, get out of here! It will only get you too!" He was cut off when the chain around his neck jerked suddenly as if by an invisible hand, cutting him off abruptly and making him cough violently.

"_Iie_!" Miyu cried back, slamming her fists again on the glass wall. It would not budge, and the pain in her arms became worse, they had been set on fire from the inside. "I won't leave you! Please, hold on a little longer, I'll find a way to get you out of there!" The taste of blood suddenly filled her mouth. Her throat burned and felt as ravaged as if she had swallowed razors.

"Miyu…run…" The chains holding him jerked violently again, making Larva fall to his knees, the blood flowing thickly onto the ground. 

Miyu screamed for him, unaware of the blood that trickled from the corners of her mouth. She beat at the wall relentlessly, trying to break it, but it was useless. At one time she even slammed against it, pushing against it with all her might, willing in to break under her weight, but it held fast. She was becoming increasingly more exhausted now, her head pounding and her lungs screaming for air. Still, she had to keep trying. He had risked his life to save her once, and she was not going to think twice about doing the same for him.

Something shot out through the air from behind her, catching her wrist and pulling her back. She risked a glance over her shoulder and saw to her horror that it was a chain like the ones that bound Larva, preventing her from doing what she planned to do. Miyu pulled hard against it, only to have more chains wrap around her, pulling her back into the darkness despite her struggles. She had never fought so hard against anything in her entire life, and not without consequence. The chains were piercing her flesh, making her wounds bleed freely, her blood splashing onto the ground in great red drops, but she refused to cry out or to succumb to the pain. She had to save Larva, at all costs. But she was growing so tired…she wanted to lie down and sleep, to forget everything. Soon her struggles became weaker and farther away…her eyes began to drift shut…This thing was going to win over her, but she did not care anymore…

Then an image floated across her mind, dim and foggy…but she knew what it was, and it jarred her immediately out of her trance. It was a memory back to that day when Larva had taken that fatal blow for her, when he looked down into her face with the blood streaming down him own, and even with all the pain that there was in her eyes, told her to run. 

A new fire seared within Miyu. Larva had died for her that day, saving her life. He had promised that he would always protect her, no matter what.

It was time to return to favor. Larva died for her without a single regret.

It was time for her to do the same thing.

Miyu pushed herself up to her feet, her mind clearer and her spirit burning with an even fiercer fire of determination. Gritting her teeth, Miyu twisted her wrists around so she was now gripping the chains, pulling them tight at their source. Then, with a cry that was pulled from the very core of her soul, gave an all-powerful heave against the chains. The chains snapped, the links falling free, and with all the strength she could muster that she never knew she had before, threw herself at the glass barrier.

The world was filled with the sound of shattering glass as Miyu fell through the glass wall, shattering it completely. The glass cut at her body, creating a new series of wounds, but she did not care. She had done it. The barrier was broken. And before her was Larva, the chains unraveling themselves from his body. Miyu smiled as she had not smiled in days and collapsed against him, her arms wrapped tightly around his lithe waist as she buried her face against his chest. She could not remember feeling so happy when she felt his arms fold around her, clasping her tightly against him. His embrace was the warmest and most comforting feeling in the world, one that she never wanted to leave from…

* * *

When she opened her eyes again, they were back in the Japanese Shinma Realm, embracing each other the same way as they had been in their state of unconsciousness. The sun was setting low, the sky stained blood red. At that thought Miyu pulled away suddenly, looking herself over. All the wounds she endured during the ordeal were gone. They were both uninjured and both very alive.

"Miyu…" Larva curled a finger under her chin, tilting her head back up so they were looking at each other again. The look in his eyes…if Miyu felt happy when she had embraced him, it was nothing compared to now. He had to same look in his eyes as before, before any of this happened…he looked maybe a little worn through the whole ordeal, but nonetheless, he was back. He smiled down at her warmly. "Thank you."

Miyu smiled back, her golden eyes misting with tears. Abruptly she threw her arms around his neck, pulling herself close and to stop him from seeing the tears fall. Over the years, she had never taken his companionship for granted, but now she was aware more than ever of how much he really meant to her.

One of Larva's hands drifted gently through her hair, then turned her head gently to the side so her lips were against the skin of his neck. She understood at once. Fangs bared, she bit into him as she had so many times before, but this time she took his blood to bind them together once again. In that one seemingly perfect moment, she forgot everything that had happened over the last few days. There was nothing to forgive him for, no reason for him to say he was sorry. They both understood each other too well to worry about such issues. 

That was perhaps the most important thing in the world.

And from the shadows, Mori watched silently, her golden eyes narrowed.

"And who can say where the road goes,   
Where the day flows?   
Only time..."

~Enya, _Only Time_

----- 

To be continued…

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Here's a present for you guys! The When Friends Are True Soundtrack! Okay, not the official soundtrack, but here's some good songs to listen to while you're reading. Songs with the little * by them means explicit lyrics (notice most of them are by Blink 182 songs, heh, heh). I don't own anything for any of these songs, and am not making any profit from them. So, enjoy! I'll be adding songs all the time, so this isn't really set in stone.

All the Small Things (Blink 182) Amnesia (Chumbawumba) Bad Reputation (Joan Jett) Boom Shaka-Lacka (Shaggy) Cemetery (Silverchair) Dark Saga (Iced Earth) Dearest Helpless (Silverchair) Do You Feel the Same (Silverchair) Dragula (Rob Zombie) Dude Looks Like a Lady (Aerosmith) Dumbweed* (Blink 182) Emotion Sickness (Silverchair) Freak (Silverchair) Freak on a Leash* (Korn) Gotta Keep Them Separated (Offspring) Grade Nine (Bare Naked Ladies) Gravity of Love (Enigma) Haunted (Dead Can Dance) How You Remind Me (Nickleback) I Believe Love Will Find a Way (Blessed Union of the Soul) I Wanna Be Sedated (Ramons) In the End (Linkin Park) Iris (Goo Goo Dolls) Is Your Love Strong Enough (Tangerine Dream) Kryptonite (Three Doors Down) Learn to Hate* (Silverchair) Lost in the Shadows (Lou Gramm) Master of Puppets (Metalica) Of Wolf and Man (Metalica) One Step Closer (Linkin Park) Only Time (Enya) Reckless Abandon* (Blink 182) Revival (Orgy) Shout it Out (Slaughter) Smells like Teen Spirit (Nirvana) Smooth Criminal (Alien Ant Farm Cover) Spin Me Around (Orgy Cover) Sympathy for the Devil (Rolling Stones) Take on Me (Aha) Vengeance is Mine (Iced Earth) What's My Age Again? (Blink 182) Winds of Change (Scorpions) 


	24. Ice Breakers

****

Author's Note: In anniversary of When Friends are True, I thought posting the next chapter would be a more than adequate gift for you guys. Happy first birthday! Okay, that's not entirely true. I have actually been writing When Friends for about three and a half or four years by now; this is actually the anniversary of When Friends' posting on Fanfiction.net. But still, this chapter is for everyone who's stuck with the story for this long, despite my (somewhat) bad spelling and grammar and lack of continuos updates, so thanks a lot. I love you guys, I really do! This one focuses a fit on the Chinese Shinma's background. Why are they here? What's their opinion of the world other than their own? And how old are they, exactly? This is a little lighter than the other chapters have been. As always, enjoy!

PS: I am also very happy with the outpouring of new Vampire Miyu fics! Way to go all VPM writers! *Cheers*

****

Chapter Twenty-Four

Ice Breakers

Gia staggered through the forest, clutching his wounded flesh where the Geisha Japanese Shinma's attack had hit him. _That bitch_. He thought bitterly. She would pay for that. They would all pay. Of course, he would never allow to see Master Cait Sith to see such weakness. Being alone like this, patrolling for any foolish Japanese Shinma that would cross his path, was an excellent way to vent his rage.

"Curses…" He growled raggedly as he clutched his ribs. "Curse all Japanese Shinma…" They would pay. He would die making sure of that.

Something floated across his face, something small and soft and pink. A sakura blossom. For the time being, he thought nothing of it. In fact, it really did not catch his attention, let alone disturb him, until he took notice of more falling, soon turning into a rain of Japanese cherry blossom pedals. He knew almost immediately what they exactly they were. "What the…? Yui?" Yes, this was definitely Yui's trademark attack. Then he heard a soft, gentle giggle; the laugh of a young girl. The girl was braver than he thought, much stronger on the inside than her physical appearance allowed others to see. Gia laughed once, hard and barking. "So, you've come back to die, have you?" He turned sharply around, towards the sound of the laugher, and nearly gave a shout of furious surprise at who it was he saw in Yui's place.

"Damn you!" He screamed at Miyu.

"Surprised?" Miyu said with a cruel, playful smile crossing her face. "I am Miyu." Something melted out from the shadows behind her, taking the form of a tall figure draped in a black cloak and wearing a frightening white mask with glowing red eyes. "And this is my _Shimobe_, Larva…I'm afraid that you've wandered too close to our little hideout. And for that, I cannot allow you to live."

"M-Miyu?" Gia stammered, still unable to believe what he was seeing. "But when…how?"

"You're a little behind the times." The vampire giggled. "I have been back for a few days."

"And you…" Gia snarled, turning on Larva. "What are you doing here?" Larva did not answer, but the eyes of his mask deepened to the shade of blood. He reached up one pale hand, red claws flashing in the dark, and struck at Gia. His claws tore at Gia's clothing, nicking the flesh and making him bleed his foul black blood. The Quarl was able to dodge the attacks, but just barely. Larva seemed to be a lot faster than he gave the Western Shinma credit for.

Breathing hard, Gia picked up again a soft, sweet scent, and saw once again the rain of sakura pedals falling around him on all sides. As small and innocent looking as they were, he was suddenly feeling trapped and very afraid, but Yui was no where in site. "Why Is this a trick of Yui's?" Where else could they be coming from?

"I should probably thank you for leading Yui to me." Miyu said, her voice growing colder by the syllable. "It was, after all, her blood that brought me back to my full strength." Miyu extended a hand and snapped her fingers, and each and every sakura blossom caught fire, closing in tighter and tighter around Gia's body and somehow keeping him from moving. 

"This…this is a trick of Yui's!" He screeched. "How come you are able to do it?"

"It was Yui's blood that brought me back. It entered my body…and now it is inside me. So naturally…I would acquire some of her power. Makes sense, _ne?_" 

The flames surrounding the Quarl grew larger, turning from a small rain of fire to a raging firestorm. No amount of pride could keep him from screaming in pain as he tried to speak. "What did…if you're like this…then it means you're…you're getting stronger!" The fire had now completely consumed his body, leaving only a dark outline of his being through the flames. 

Miyu smiled. "Bye-bye."

Gia let out a roar of pain. _Receive this…_ He sent out telepathically to his Quarl companions and master. _My…my last message…Miyu has been fully resurrected!_ The fire burned high and bright, roaring louder then the dying Quarl's dying screams, then burned down and finally out, taking the foul being's body with it.

"Resurrection, huh?" Miyu frowned at the spot where Gia had once stood. What was that thing? It could only be one of the Quarls that Mori spoke of, one of those that they would have to fight very soon. Disgusting creature, really. She had never seen anything like it. "No matter what he thinks, we won't allow ourselves to loose any more battles, right, Larva?" She looked up at him, smiling over her shoulder.

Larva looked down at her, then removed his mask, smiling down at her as well. "Yes."

Her smile growing wider, Miyu turned and took his hand in her own. "I'm glad you're back." She said. The smile she wore was the same that he had seen before he had died…a pure smile, untainted by sadness or the burden of her duty. It was a smile that made him feel like the happiest man on earth in his heart. However, the smile faded from Miyu's face as she looked back to the spot where Gia had been burnt to death. "They'll know about this." She said, her voice concerned. "And they won't be happy about it. Mori's right. They may attack as soon as tomorrow. We need to go back and tell the others. We have to be ready."

Larva nodded, also feeling the apprehension and seriousness of the situation. "I agree." He said simply.

"Besides…" Miyu said, her voice suddenly becoming light and almost playful again, taking him a bit by surprise. "I miss my yukata. Maybe Ryuko's done fixing it. This…just doesn't feel right, you know what I mean?" Once again Larva smiled at her gently and nodded, and the two of them walked back into the forest, back towards the Fifth Layer.

***

"No way. You got to be kidding me." Lemunia said, backing up in horror. "No way."

Tacha rolled her eyes. "For pete's sake, will you stop fighting it? You've been injured, and if you get a blow hard enough to your middle again, they will break, so they need to be treated. It won't take long…look, I was able to run home and pick up everything I need, so…"

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you very much!" Lemunia snapped, stepping back further, his arms wrapped tightly and protectively around himself. "I appreciate the concern, but I'll be fine in a few days!"

Tacha narrowed her green eyes, her tail twitching irritably. "But we don't _have_ a few days, don't you understand? If we fight tomorrow and you're hit, then we won't be able to do a damn thing about it. And if you think you've seen a fight, let me tell you, kid, you haven't even scratched the surface. Now be a good little boy, take off your cloak and let me keep you from dying."

Lemunia took a deep breath, looking as if he was screwing up all the courage he had. "No."

The Feline's lips curled in a snarl, her fangs flashing. "Suite yourself…" With all the deadly speed of a panther, she leaped, making Lemunia yelp and barely dodge out of the way. The chase was, pitifully, short-lived. Lemunia ran for maybe twenty feet before his legs became ensnarled in his own heavy robes and his foot caught an gnarled root sticking up from the ground, and he went down. Before he could hit the ground, something tackled him around the waist and they went down together, but with Lemunia on top as the other person hit the hard ground. Pain throbbed in his torso, but it was weak and far away, not hindering his attempt to get up and run away again, but he did not get much farther than before. Tacha grabbed his cloak around his neck and yanked him down, throwing him down to ground. The young Western Shinma struggled to get up, but Tacha was on top of him, pinning him to the ground and, to his horror, trying to undo his cloak.

"What are you doing?" He yelped, trying again to get up and bolt, but the Chinese Shinma was a lot heavier and stronger than he was.

"Like I said, I'm trying to keep you from dying tomorrow, if I can help it, now take off you cloak!"

"Make me!" Lemunia snapped back.

"_Tacha!"_

Both Tacha and Lemunia stopped struggling to look at the person whom the voice had come from; it was Kia, perched in a tree a few feet away, looking both amused and shocked. The look of shock soon faded and a mischievous smile instead took its place. "Well, well, Tacha, I didn't know you had it in for little boys!"

"YYEEEEAAAGGH!" Lemunia yelled in disgust, and with a mighty heave, was able to throw Tacha off of him and was on his feet faster than any of them could have managed. "That's disgusting! You people really are savages!"

"Oh, lighten up." Tacha snorted, standing up herself and dusting the forest debris off herself. "We were only goofing. But really, you should put something on that wound. Here." She tossed him a plastic tube with the word _Noxzema_ written in English on the side. "At least put that on. It will keep out the infection." Lemunia did not seem to hear. He was too interested in the plastic tube that the medicine was packaged in. 

"He's right, you know." Came a voice from under Kia's tree, and she shifted in her perch to see whom it was talking. To her surprise, it was Spartoi, leaning casually against the trunk, trying to make an intimidating impression but not doing to well at the moment. "You are a bunch of savages. Just look what you're wearing."

Kia and Tacha exchanged amused looks. "Oh? And why is that?" Kia chided at him, swinging down from the tree, hanging upside down by her knees.

"You're both women!" Spartoi sounded abashed, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Kia and Tacha stared at him blankly. "You…" he pointed at Tacha. "Show way too much leg for what's good for you! It's not lady-like! And you…" He swung his gaze at Kia, who was smirking at him. "Have you no modesty?"

"I think the question is, why are you looking where my 'modesty' lies in the first place?" Kia asked, turning her head so the world looked somewhat up-right. Spartoi looked taken aback at her question; he had also gone bright red in the face. She reached up, grasped the branch in her talons, and swung off the branch, righting herself. "Besides, it helps in combat. Unlike what you lot wear, we don't have to worry about getting caught up in anything due to an unnecessary amount of clothing. It doesn't slow us down either. I think you've seen that, due to many of our battles."

It was a little obvious that Spartoi was not entirely clear on what she was talking about, so he merely cocked his head back, looking at her through narrowed eyes. "I don't buy it." Kia resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"I mean, I obviously kicked your butt in our little battle on the ice, didn't I?"

That certainly had gotten through. "That hardly counted." Spartoi retorted. "The conditions were beyond control, and certainly unlike those that I am used to fighting under. Had we been on a normal terrain, I probably would have defeated you."

Kia snorted. "Yeah, right. I doubt it."

"All right then…" Spartoi moved into an unmistakable defensive position. "Since there is no ice here, how about we have a go then? One-on-one." With a grand flourish, his dragon armor bristled and his bronze-hilted sword flashed into his hand. "What do you say?"

The Avian only shrugged. "Fine by me." Spartoi was the one that attacked first, and if by some cruel trick of fate, his long cape immediately became ensnared around a gnarled tree root, sending his careening forward, nearly out of control, towards Kia, who easily stepped out of his path. "This is what I don't get about you people." She said as Spartoi made a vain effort to untangle his cape and un-stick his sword from the ground at the same time. Of on the side, Tacha had doubled up laughing. Even Lemunia was having a hard time suppressing his smile. "You come all the way over here, for what? Just trying to prove that you're the toughest kids on the block by picking a fight with a Clan who, although they hate your guts, I admit that, hasn't had a problem with you since before the Shinma Wars."

"Every trained Dragon Knight knows that the only way to become the strongest is to challenge himself against his own enemies!" Spartoi shot back, charging at Kia again. She did not move from her spot as he came at her, blade pointing at her heart. When he was inches away from her, Kia jumped into the air, well out of the way of his blade, flipped up-side down, placing her hands squarely on his shoulders and using them as a sort if vault as she back-flipped off of him and clearly out of the way.

"All right, all right, I can see where you cone from on that point of view…but oh well, we won't get into that now, will we?"

The bewildered Western Shinma really did not seem to hear her words. "I thought that this was supposed to be a duel! Why do you keep dodging?"

"Because I _have_ no reason to fight you." Kia replied coolly as she easily dodged another potential deadly blow. "I know you're trying to prove your point, but acting like you still hate us is kinda pointless."

"What are you babbling about?" Spartoi asked, now nearly out of breath from the struggle.

"I mean, if you really hated us, then I think you would be putting in a lot more effort in this fight. Personally, we're all in the same boat, so there's no point for strife among us anymore. Besides…" Kia stepped to the side after another lunge, and as she passed Spartoi, she gave her one of her rare warm smiles. "You're also kinda cute when you smile."

That stopped Spartoi dead in his tracks, sword still held defensively but mouth hanging open stupidly. This gave Kia the perfect opportunity to smile, approach him and flick him on the forehead. "Gotcha." Her smile broadened and Tacha gave a whoop of joy as Spartoi fell straight back, his sword falling from his hands. It took him a moment or so to recall what just happened.

"That was dirty!" Spartoi shouted at her. "Rematch!"

Kia only smiled down at him, but it was a smile more like her brother's. "What rematch? You wanted a duel, and I won, faire and square. You know, in my world, we fight our enemies to not learn of our _own_ strength; we fight them to learn something _from_ them. And you have learned this from me, Western Shinma Spartoi: sometimes, I takes more than muscle and a big shiny sword to win a fight, even if that thing is very, very small." She extended a hand down to him, but when he took it, he gave a hard pull, and with a cry of surprise, Kia was thrown off her feet and backwards, landing hard on her back opposite of Spartoi.

"And you have learned this, Chinese Shinma. It's never over until it's over."

"Oh, for the love of…" Kia squawked as she sat up suddenly, only to find herself in a ridiculous-looking brawl with Spartoi that now had Lemunia laughing and Tacha with tears rolling down her face.

"'ey, Kia! Tacha?" A voice called from behind the tress. Yoshi appeared in the clearing, followed closely by Yoto, Kitsune, and the rest of the Chinese Shinma. "We're going to hunt for some dinner! Mori gave it an 'ok'! Want to…oh, for the love of the Gods! My eyes!" Yoshi threw his hands over his eyes, as if trying to block and image that was making his physically ill. The others could not help but smile. Kia had obviously won the little brawl, and was sitting on top of Spartoi's back, who was shouting something unintelligible below her and apparently unable to move from the waist down.

"Oh, shut up. He asked for it." Kia said, getting up and brushing herself off. "But, yeah. Food sounds like a good idea. I'm starving. Let's go."

"What about him?" Ryuko asked. Kia only waved her hand incoherently and followed the rest into the forest.

***

Night came swiftly; the sun set quicker than usual, as if the sun was anxious to set that evening. There was definitely an ominous feeling in the air – everyone seemed to feel it – but the Chinese Shinma had a sort of determination to not let it get them down. "I'm telling you guys, I heard something scream in the forest. Don't tell me you guys didn't hear it?"

"Nope. You're the only one who hears anything out of the ordinary, Dumbo." Kia said, throwing her pile of firewood onto the growing pile in the middle of the clearing in the Fifth Layer. Yoshi ignored his sister's comment, but his fringed ears still flicked, as if in retaliation to the insult. He merely sighed and dropped his armful of sticks onto the larger pile as well. 

"I can't believe none of you heard that! It was…creepy. Kinda high and screechy; sent chills down my spine. Kinda reminded me of our PE teacher back at Hotimekaoi High." At that, they all shared a brief and rare moment of laughter. Once everyone had added their contribution to the large mass of firewood, Yoshi ignited a small fireball in his hands and set the sticks ablaze.

"Oh yeah, she was a real nightmare. The only time PE became torture instead of a class." Ryuko agreed, and helped Yoto set up the deer they had been able to hunt down for dinner. In no time the sounds and smells of roasting dinner filled the small clearing, making their mouths water and stomachs growl loudly over the crackling of the fire; they had all forgotten how hungry they really were.

"The first thing I do when we get home besides taking a three-hour long shower to completely raiding the kitchen." Tacha said, poking at a few stray embers with another long stick. "I forgot how trying times of battle can be on your stomach and hygiene." The others nodded in agreement, at that point too hungery to really say anything, until Kitsune poked Ryuko in the shoulder and jerked her head over her shoulder slightly, in the direction of the darkened gaps between the trees. The others only had to glance over briefly, but they all ready knew who was there.

"Are you lot going to sit there and drool at us or are you going to make a point to swallow your prides and join us?" Kia asked, checking the roasting kill. One by one, nervous Western Shinma emerged from the shadows, looking both starved and extremely weary at the same time. It was almost all of them; Pazusu and Carlua were missing, but they seemed to really be the only two out of the group who could go off on their own and not have to worry about getting their heads bitten off. Well, definitely Pazusu, and maybe Carlua if she could remember to hold her tongue. But still, it was one of the few times that they had come together in one group without immediately tearing into each other. Most of them appeared to be too hungry and weary to care any more, except for Amy, who seemed to be in a perpetually bad mood. He did not say anything aloud to the group, but the Chinese Shinma were sure that he was muttering something about being "savage" under his breath.

The first few moments were still tense, and no one really talked as the Chinese Shinma took the time to cut up the roasted venison and serve to everyone else. For a moment it looked as if it was going to take some work to convince the Western Shinma that they would have to eat with their hands, but to their surprise, they tore into dinner with an even more animal-like way than the Chinese Shinma. "Eat up, guys." Tacha said, finally and quite cheerfully, trying to lighten the mood. "We got plenty here, and I'm sure you haven't eaten in days."

"That reminds me…" Water Lipper began, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "Since we are going to be…working together for a while, I think it's only fair for us to ask you what _you're_ doing here." The Chinese Shinma stared at her, obviously surprised by the sudden unexpected question. Most of her companions were looking at her the same way, as well. "I mean, it's not too often that your kind leaves your realm; no one has really seen a trace of you since the Shinma Wars. Eight Chinese Shinma residing in the Japanese Shinma Realm is unusual."

"Good question." Ryuko said, tossing a bone into a growing pile. "It's only fair, I guess. Basically, it's more of a requirement than out of free will; or, at least, that's what it started as. All heirs to the thrones of our Clan are required to travel to a different Realm for a certain amount of time for independent training. Sessions are about a hundred years long at a time, and at the end of that session we report back home for a sort of test. If we pass, then we don't have to go back. Fail, and we got to stay another hundred bloody years."

"I take it you don't like it here?"

"Not here; the earth realm." Verde said. "Yeah, I know it's bad, and believe me, we hated it too at first. Earth four hundred years ago, for as short of a time as that is, was dull and very boring compared to the lifestyle that we came to. Not to mention we were restricted to China and Japan; long-distance traveling wasn't heard of back then. You wouldn't believe how relieved we were allowed to travel outside of Japan without causing a scene and being damned to hell because of our ethnicity, human or no."

"Verde was the only smart one." Yoshi added. "He did his time and got out of there early. By about the third hundredth year here, we were ready to wrap-up our so-called 'training' and come home. But then the twentieth century came around, and humans finally started to pull their act together. They started coming out with technology a bit closer to home, and after a while Kia and Tacha were allowed to wear pants again. You want to know about a major earache, there's nothing like their bitching when you stick them in a skirt. Well, maybe not so much Tacha, but Kia…" He was cut off shortly when his sister took a swipe at him.

"Once the sixties came around – nineteen-hundred and sixty years after Jesus Christ, that is - things got a lot better." Kia picked up. "Good music, a broader range of culture, and they finally got their act together and started to make some computers. Give them another twenty-five years, and the human race came up with some pretty good stuff. School became a bit more enjoyable after that, as well as pass-time activities. We have a home in the forests of Earth Japan, and we were finally able to add to it to make the time here more enjoyable. Then you throw in stuff like raves and good movies, and we realized that this place really isn't so bad. We're thinking about postponing our official return to see exactly where they're going with their technology, or until we become bored again." Most of this was obviously over the Western Shinma's heads, but they refrained from asking too many questions.

"So you hate it here?" Lemunia asked.

"I wouldn't say always hated it." Tacha said after swallowing. "We learned some stuff here, as inferior as the human race can be sometimes. You see, in our world, we not only have our basic training and magical studies, but we also have studies that apply to a certain area that we excel in, and the earth cultures gave us a boost in that. For example, I am a full-fledged linguist, and can speak over five hundred languages fluently. Being on earth allowed me to add most of their languages. And sometimes we would breech our intercultural binds and travel to the Middle East and Europe. Yoto studied with some of the greatest masterminds of human philosophy and literature; Shakespeare, Plato, Homer, you name it. And while in Europe, Kia also was able to learn a thing or two from the human Alchemists."

"You seem to know a lot for how young you all look." Night Gia pointed out. He was sitting with Amy, who was sitting a considerable distance away from the Chinese Shinma as compared to their other friends. "How old are you really, especially if you fought in the Shinma Wars."

"You really want to know?" Ryuko said, raising an eyebrow. This seemed to have their full attention, as if it had been a question they had wanted to ask for a long time. "Well, save for Kitsune and Mei-Ling, who are the youngin's of the group, I would estimate around…Yosh, help me out, you're better at numbers than I am."

"Fifty thousand." Yoshi responded incoherently around a mouthful of dinner. 

This response got a more shocked reaction from the Western Shinma than anything else they had said the whole night did, all wide-eyed stares and some jaws hanging slack. Spartoi even choked on the piece of meat that he had in his mouth.

"Y-you're not serious?"

"Damn serious." Yoshi said, meeting Amy in the eye. "You find it so hard to believe?"

"More than hard." Amy said in his same snotty tone. "You certainly don't act your age. Maybe you can consider growing up a bit." He seemed to think that this question was clever and he was able to back the Chinese Shinma into some sort of snag, but to his and all the other Western Shinma's surprise, Ryuko, Yoshi, and all the girls suddenly broke into song, and in English, no less, and a very strange one at that:

__
    
    "I took her out, it was a Friday night
    I wore cologne to get the feeling right
    We started making out, and she took off my pants
    But then I turned on the TV 

And that's about the time she walked away from me   
Nobody likes you when you're twenty-three   
and you still act like you're in freshman year   
What the hell is wrong with me?   
My friends say I should act my age   
What's my age again?

That's about the time that she broke up with me   
No one should take themselves so seriously   
With many years ahead to fall in line   
Why would you wish down on me   
I never want to act my age   
What's my age again? What's my age again? What's my age again?"

"Very cute." Amy said snidely, but by this time, no one was really paying attention to him. Although they really did not understand the meaning of the words, they looked impressed and amused. Lemunia and Water Lipper were even clapping, and that gave Amy the immediate message that it was time for him to shut up.

With a sigh, Ryuko fell onto his back on the mossy rocks under him, staring up at the dark forest canopy above. "Gods, I miss my guitar. The first thing we do when we get home is having a fat-old jam session, the whole set, no stops."

"Regardless of the fact that you nearly kill yourself on _Spawn Again_ and that one Drowning Pool song?" Kia asked, looking at his out of the corner of her eye. Ryuko stuck his tongue out at her.

"A what?" Lemunia asked.

"Oh, jam sessions are the best!" Ryuko said, rolling back up to a sitting position and suddenly looking very enthused. "Save for Yoto and Verde, we all play different instruments in our own band, called Slanted Table. I'm on guitar and vocals, Kia's on bass, both Tacha and Kitsune are in guitars, and Yoshi plays drums. Well, Kitsune's not _officially _part of the band, yet; she was too young to come to Earth for training before, but at the next hundred-year round, she'll be able to stay with us. Has a room set up at home and everything. Anyway, we did want to call it Fortified Under the Consent of the King, but can anyone figure out the problem behind it? What the first letter of each word spells?" There was a brief moment's silence.

"Oh my…" Water Lipper said suddenly, looking both taken back and amused at the same time.

"Bingo." Ryuko said. "So we changed it to Slanted Table. Interesting story behind that, too. We were sitting at a little diner one day, thinking of a new name for our band. We have to change every ten years or so; can't have people remembering us, it gets us in trouble back home. So we're a little stuck right now; we've used just about every name we could think of. Yoshi was pissed when the band 'Orgy' came around. Anyway, have you ever been able to balance a salt shaker on a pile of salt? It's possible, believe it or not. So we're balancing the salt and pepper shakers, still stumped, and before we know it, we have everything on the table balanced. The ketchup bottle, the Tabasco sauce, that little dish that holds the packets of sugar, and even the big napkin despenser. It looked cool, but a the same time it was really a trip on the eyes and it really pissed the bus boys of the diner off because we made such a mess, but that's where the name 'Slanted Table' came from." 

Where their song got some applause, the story of the slanted table actually got a few of the Western Shinma laughing, much to the surprise of the Chinese Shinma. Even Amy and Night Gia seemed to have dropped their rigid attitude towards the other Shinma and were kind of smiling too, Amy less than Night Gia, though. "Ah guys, you finally start warming up to us!" Tacha said, also smiling broadly.

"Well, you're not exactly what we expected from the stories we heard as kids." Lemunia said.

"See, there's the original problem." Kia said, twirling one of the bones around between her fingers. We're not saying it's your fault, but we hear all these stories about the different Clans in your childhood, all of which are underdeveloped and inferior and savage compared to your own. According to the stories I've heard, the Chinese and Japanese Shinma all wear loincloths and dig out termites with a sick to eat. But then you actually get to these foreign lands, and what to do you find? That people here, although they could be completely opposite of what you're used to, are not bad. Then you have the part of the stories that says that our Clan and the Japanese Shinma will violate and savagely kill everything and anything in cold blood that moves, and yet here you are, sitting with us around a campfire, sharing some dinner, and we're telling you stuff about of personal lives that most of our friends back at home don't know about. I know this is an old-ass saying, but things aren't always what they seem, and you shouldn't believe anything you here; appearances can be deceiving, and all those other moral sayings that help clarify that sort of thing."

Water Lipper frowned a bit. "You speak like that as if you think of us to be ignorant."

"We're not saying we're perfect." Ryuko said. "I mean, in the stories we hear about your Clan, you're all up-tight, snobbish, ignorant, and think the world is only about you, and I'm not talking about the Clan, I mean that's the frame of mind of every Western Shinma. But we were wrong too, although you would still find some people in our world that still would think differently, even if they were sitting here right now with us. I mean, there are probably things about you guys that we don't know about would have never guessed applies to you. The same thing goes with us. For example; would any of you have the slightest idea that Yoto was born premature?" 

It was obvious not, as most of the Western Shinma turned where they sat to look at Yoto, who was propped up against a tree. He had not said a word all night. Ryuko continued: "I can't figure it out in our years, but in human years, the average female pregnancy is nine months. Yoto was born three and a half months early, and most children born that young don't survive. Under size and under weight too, he was on life support for about six months. But now look at him. Seven feet tall, and I swear he could bench-press a bulldozer if he put his mind to it."

"Another example," Kia said. "Yoshi's half-blind in his left eye, but you couldn't see that even if he showed you. Yosh, will you demonstrate?" 

Yoshi seemed to be fairly sensitive to the subject, but nonetheless raised a hand and pushed his long bangs back. His left eye, which was usually covered, looked no different than his right eye, red and glowing in the firelight. "It happened in the Shinma Wars." He said, letting his hair fall back down. "During one of the fights, my helmet get twisted around so it was backwards, but at the same time I was able to turn it around, someone released a very power light spell just next to me; so powerful, it burned the eyes of any one who say it into blindness. Only a small portion of my eye was exposed, but it was enough to burn out the retinas and render me half-blind."

"He keeps his hair long because he thinks people can still see the scar. Before the healers got to himself, half of that eye was white." Yoshi glared at his twin when she was done talking, as if the story hit a soft spot.

"So, as you can see, not everyone is what they appear to be." Tacha finished. There was silence after that that last for quite a while, with only the cracking and popping of the fire warding off the foreboding silence of the Fifth Layer. It was as if, even with the amount of ice breaking done at that time, they had suddenly run out of things to talk about.

Then there was the sound of rustling foliage behind them, as if something was moving through the forest. When the Chinese Shinma turned around, they saw Miyu standing there, her features illuminated by the red and gold glow of the campfire. And standing beside her, as loyal and protective as he had been before everything had happened, was Larva.

"We just ran into one of those Quarls near the Fifth Layer, but I think that he sent some sort of message to the others before he died. I have a strong feeling that they will plan their first assault at dawn."

------

To be Continued…

------

****

Author's Note: STILL to be continued. Yeah I know, you're getting tired of seeing that. When will it all end? The truth is, I don't know. Well, I know _how_ it ends, just not_ when._ In fact, even if I were to get two chapters out a month, it still wouldn't be done in a year. _That'd_ how long it is. This was actually going to be the first part of what this chapter was going to be, but it got really long, so I had to split it (again). The next chapter should be good, I promise, and hopefully it won't take as long to write. Ja ne!


	25. Trust

****

Author's Notes: Hey, have you ever wondered what the title means? Find out in this chapter! And yeah. I think most of you who have been reading this will appreciate this chapter. There are some pretty groundbreaking scenes here, even more so than the last.

And for as much as I hate Valentine's Day, consider this a present. Enjoy!

****

Chapter Twenty-Five

Trust

"Well, then." Yoshi said, clapping his hands together and standing up rather suddenly. "Attack tomorrow or not, you don't have to worry about a damn thing Miyu, because we're going to be right beside you the whole time. I'm not sure what the full motives of those ass-holes are, but we'll make sure that they don't lay a filthy finger on you the entire time."

"Here, here." The other Chinese Shinma chorused as they rose too, moving to Miyu's side. "Those monsters will regret the day that they decided to tangle with you or your realm." Miyu smiled up at her friends. She knew, regardless of the situation they were in, that they would stand by her side until the end. But she was also grateful to them for another reason. All of them seemed relieved that she was in a better mood, but there was something else; she could see it in their eyes. Somehow – she was not sure how – but somehow, they knew about the re-established bond between her and Larva, and their eyes were both supportive and happy for her at the same time. Even Yoshi had that look in his eyes. Although Miyu had not had any experience with real friends for quite some time, she knew that those were feelings that true friends held for each other.

Then they all looked back at the Western Shinma, as if excepting them to say something. At that moment, Larva was feeling a little apprehensive; if the Chinese Shinma knew about the bond, then there was probably a good chance that his former companions did as well, and the whole thing would start over again. But he would not back down. He had clearly chosen the path that he wanted to lead in life, and he placed a supportive hand on Miyu's hand, silently telling the others that that was where he intended to stay. "It's your choice." He told the staring Western Shinma. "You can stay or fight, but if you fight, all of our chances of survival will be much higher."

Again there was only silence, and the ones standing beside Miyu were sure that the Western Shinma were going to refuse, until Spartoi suddenly stood up. "What sort of knight would I be if I didn't rise to meet a challenge lay before me?" He said in a very formal, serious sort of way, but then his face softened as he looked at Larva. "But more importantly, what sort of friend would I be to let one of my best friends fight such a dangerous foe by himself? I'll fight by your sides." He walked over to the group and clapped Larva heavily on the shoulder, nearly making the blue-haired Western Shinma's knees buckle.

"I'll fight too!" Lemunia said, springing to his feet and half-jogging to the group. "I have a score to settle with those bastards, after all."

"As do I." Water Lipper agreed as she swept over to them as well. The growing group looked back over at Night Gia and Amy, who were the only two left.

Then, to their surprise, Amy stood and joined their numbers. "If Spartoi fights, then I fight as well." He actually looked quite pleased with himself, as if his contribution meant an ensured victory.

"Well then, I guess I have no choice then." Night Gia agreed, only a hair's breath behind Amy. "I may not be as involved as this as the rest of you are, but I won't stand down to watch the lot of you get killed."

Suddenly Yoshi started laughing, as if something very funny had occurred to him. "Dude, this totally reminds me of the forming of the Fellowship of the Ring!"

"Thank you for that informative insight, Yosh." Ryuko said, thumping his friend on the back with a smile.

"What was that supposed to mean?" Night Gia asked, curious.

"Nothing." Kia said with a wave of her hand. "Just ignore my brother's ramblings, or you can hit him until he stops. He's quite harmless, really, as long as he keeps his pants on."

"Wha-wha-what are you talking about?" Yoshi stammered, suddenly going very red in the face.

"Oh come on, don't tell me you forgot that New Year's Celebration in 1965 in San Francisco, do you? The one where you got plastered and streaked naked down the street?" Tacha reminded him.

"I don't remember that." Yoshi said in a rather indignant way.

"Neither do I." Ryuko added.

"Well, you wouldn't." Kia put in. "You were pretty wasted, yourself. In fact, if I recall, you had joined in Yoshi's little way of ringing in the New Year. We had to throw both of you into the dumpster to keep you out of the cop's hands." Ryuko was now as red as Yoshi, but then the Wolfin and the Avian exchanged looks.

"Well, that would certainly explain that mystery hangover and why we smelt like shit the next morning." Ryuko said, and Yoshi shrugged.

"Dear Lord, what have we gotten ourselves into?" Water Lipper asked the other Western Shinma, but there was a hint of amusement in her voice.

Not sure how to respond to the Chinese Shinma's "interesting" story (even though a few of the younger Shinma looked as if they were ready to laugh out loud), they did not say anything. After a brief moment's silence, Spartoi finally asked "So, what do we do now?"

Kia frowned a bit in thought. "I guess the best thing would to get some rest. We have quite a ask ahead of us tomorrow. We should also get someone to tell Yui and the other Shi about what's going on. Tacha and Lemunia, you two can do that. Then we need someone to tell Pazusu and Carlua what's up, but I'll let you decide that on your own." 

"Oh, that reminds me…" Ryuko spoke up and dashed away from the group, made a quick surveillance of the campsite, found what he was looking for, and came back to them. There was something white and soft looking in his arms with something red folded on top of it, and when he got closer, Miyu saw that it was her yukata. "I uh…wasn't able to fix your last one, so instead I made a stop by your home and got you a new one."

Miyu smiled and took the yukata from Ryuko, thanking him. It would be nice to wear it again.

Taking the hint from the silence that followed, the Western Shinma nodded and moved back into the clearing, around the campfire that was still burning brightly. They talked briefly among themselves before Water Lipper swept into the darkened forest, no doubt looking for Pazusu and Carlua. She was perhaps the best to talk with them on such matters. Soon after that, Tacha and Lemunia disappeared through the dark gaps between the trees to find Yui and the other Shi. 

Before the Chinese Shinma could return to their campfire and rest for the next day, Larva spoke suddenly, to all of them "Before we turn in, I would like a word with the lot of you."

The Chinese Shinma exchanged confused looks; what could he possibly want to talk to _them_ about? Maybe it was about the re-established bond between him and Miyu. Regardless of what it was, they nodded, and turned into a thicket of trees where they could talk alone. "Larva…" Miyu began, but Larva reassured her with a soft smile and a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"It's all right, Miyu. I should be back in a few moments." Miyu returned the smile and nodded before heading back to the bonfire where the rest of the Western Shinma were scattered around. This was a first time that she would be alone with them, without the protection of Larva or the Chinese Shinma, but she felt no fear. They were on the same side of the same coin now, so they had no reason to cause any problems with her. Unless they assaulted her verbally for taking Larva back…

But they did not. Instead they only propped themselves against trees of lay down on the ground, trying to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep for the hard day ahead of them. The forest beside Miyu shifted, and Tacha emerged from the darkness. She questioned Miyu with her eyes, and Miyu pointed to the place where Larva and the other Chinese Shinma disappeared. The Feline nodded, gave Miyu a quick hug, and went after her friends. Miyu relaxed slightly, but still she disappeared for a second before re-appearing on a low tree branch, snuggling into a crook between the branch and trunk and closed her eyes, trying to sleep as well, but it did not come easily.

"What did the Shi say?" Ryuko asked when the cat-girl burst through the foliage and giving Yoshi and Kitsune a look like they had just had heart attacks.

"They agreed to fight with us." Tacha said, picking a twig from her braid. "Well, Yui did, for Miyu's sake. Nagi got all pissy at her for a moment, but he gave in. Anyway, what's the deal with this?"

"Only this." Larva said, catching their complete attention. "My biggest fear in this life is something happening to me and Miyu being left alone. And a few days ago, that fear was almost confirmed. The last thing I want is Miyu to be alone, and with the battle coming up, there is the risk of that happening. That's why I ask this of you. Miyu seems to be fairly good friends with the lot of you. Therefore, if anything happens to me, I want you to take care of her. I just don't want her to be alone."

He had to admit to himself, all seven of them looked as if they had been struck my lightning. What ever it was that they were expecting him to tell them, that certainly had not been it. For several moments, they only stared at him blankly, jaws slack. Finally their mouths closed slowly as his words sunk in. "Are you sure about this?" Kia asked.

"It's better that she's with someone she knows and trusts rather than being alone. Think of it as a favor to her, not one to me." Once again, the Eastern Shinma looked at each other, discussing the proposition over silently, their eyes doing to talking. Finally, Kia looked back at him.

"All right. For Miyu's sake, we will do it. It' not that we would be reluctant to do it, it's just that we think that you shouldn't think that, and concentrate on keeping yourself alive before we need to start thinking about _that_. Besides, it's good to see the bond reestablished. Always knew your heart was in the right place."

Larva could not help but to smile at her words. "All right. It's a deal then." The Chinese Shinma smiled and nodded back, and taking it as a clue to the end of their little meeting, they too returned to the campfire to conserve their strength. Before Yoshi could leave, however, Larva reached out and put a hand on the bat's shoulder.

"Despite the stories I've heard about you, I feel as if you're the one I can trust most with her. If anything should happen, will you take it upon yourself to be her guardian?"

Yoshi turned around, looking both confused and maybe a little embarrassed at the same time. "You uh, heard that huh?" Larva nodded. Yoshi's mouth turned to the side, but he replied "I would do it in a heart beat." Without another word, he too went to join his friends.

Larva did not follow them right away. He had too much on his mind and too much to sort out. Miyu was asleep, he could feel it through their bond; there was a very secure feeling within himself now that their bond was back. He took comfort in her eternal presence, he just did not realize it until he had nearly lost her. He had also never thought of himself being vulnerable before either, not since this whole thing began. True, he had pledged years ago that he would protect Miyu with his life; he had never thought of what were to happen if he ever did die. That was settled now; the Chinese Shinma would look after her. They would make sure that she lived on safely. She now even had a back-up guardian incase anything did happen to him. Something on the inside told him that next time, he would not be so lucky.

Then there was the issue concerning the other Western Shinma. It seemed as if his friends had no problem with it. By letting Miyu taking his blood again, he had clearly mapped out his path in life, and they would be fools to try to break them apart again. The only problem would be Pazusu and Carlua. Apparently Carlua had risked her life to sever the bond, and he knew Pazusu would be outraged that that huge risk was all for nothing. He almost dreaded meeting his former master and foster father in the face again. 

WESTERN SHINMA.

Larva felt his blood freeze in his veins. Slowly, he turned around to see Mori standing in the thick forest brush just feet behind him. He felt like such a fool. If the Western and Chinese Shinma knew about the bond, then there was no doubt that the Japanese Shinma knew as well. Especially their most powerful Elder. I NEED TO SPEAK TO YOU. Larva looked back out into the clearing, to the tree that Miyu was sleeping in the tree. He did not feel comfortable leaving her alone any longer than he could, especially with all the recent events. MY CHILDREN ARE WATCHING THE AREA. NOTHING WILL HARM HER WHILE YOU ARE GONE. Casting one last glance at Miyu, Larva rose and followed Mori deeper into the trees.

They walked through the forest for a very long time. The thick branches of the huge trees blocked the silver light that the full moon gave off, making the surrounding landscape very dark. The air was cold and a thin layer of fog swirled about their feet. Mori had not said anything since she had called on him. Larva was not sure if he felt nervous or not; it was a complex mix of feelings, but he was mainly thinking of getting back to Miyu as soon as possible. 

I DO NOT KNOW WHY I LET YOU BOND TO MIYU AGAIN. Mori said at last. I SHOULD HAVE KILLED YOU MYSELF EARLIER.

"Then why did you let me live?" Larva asked. He chose his words very carefully, not wanting to anger the ancient Elder.

BECAUSE SHE SEEMS TO SEE SOMETHING IN YOU. WHAT, I DO NOT KNOW. Mori stopped walking, and sat down five feet away from him, staring at him through her cold eyes. BUT, IF YOU CAN ANSWER ME THIS ONE QUESTION, MY OPPINION OF YOU MIGHT CHANGE. WHAT DO YOU SEE WHEN YOU LOOK AT HER? WHAT IS THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO YOUR MIND WHEN YOU SEE HER? WHAT MAKES HER SO SPECIAL TO YOU?

"I-I see the girl I have always known. Her thoughts have always been lonely and sad. She has told me that I am the only one who understands her, and how important I am to her. And she's taught me about my own humanity… she's the most important person in all the worlds to me. I would never leave her on my own will, even if she wanted me to."

Mori laughed, showing her long white fangs. VERY GOOD. THAT'S THE ANSWER I WAS LOOKING FOR. IN TRUTH, WESTERN SHINMA, YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE IN ALL THE WORLDS THAT SEES HER THE WAY YOU DO. HUMANS CAN NOT SEE WHAT SHE ISM WHAT YOU DESCRIBED; THEY SEE THE STERIOTYPED DEMON OF THEIR FOLKLORE. SOME OF THE JAPANESE SHINMA SEE HER AS A THREAT, OTHERS SEE HER AS A LEADER. THE CHINESE SEE HER AS A LEADER, AND THEREFORE WILL TREAT HER LIKE ONE. YOUR PEOPLE SEE HER AS AN ENEMY. EVEN MYSELF AND THE OTHER ELDERS CANNOT ACCEPT HER AS ANYTHING BUT A LEADER, WHAT THE VAMPIRES ORIGINALLY WERE. Mori sighed, then paused. When she began again, her voice sounded sad. 

DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM TRYING TO TELL YOU? MIYU IS ONLY SEEN AS HER TITLE; AS A VAMPIRE, A LEADER, A THREAT, DEPENDING ON WHO IS LOOKING AT HER. SHE IS TORN BETWEEN THE WORLD SHE ONCE CAME FROM AND THE ONE SHE IS FORCED TO LIVE IN. MIYU IS THE LAST OF HER KIND, AND IS MORE ALONE THAN ANYONE CAN POSSIBLY UNDERSTANDOUT OF ALL THE CLANS IN ALL THE WORLDS, YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO SEES HER DIFFERENTLY. ONLY YOU CAN SEE HER FOR WHAT SHE ONCE WAS, WHAT SHE IS TO BE; ONLY YOU KNOW OF HER FEELINGS. THAT IS WHY YOU ARE SO SPECIAL TO HER, AND THE ONLY ONE SUITABLE ENOUGH TO BE HER _SHIMOBE. _THE FIRST TIME I SAW MIYU WAS DURING THE FIRST ATTACKS, AND I HAD SECRETELY ADOPTED HER AS MY DAUGHTERIN HOPE THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO PROTECT HER, AS I WAS NOT ABLE TO PROTECT KYUKO. BUT I SOON LEARNED THAT I WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO SEE HER FOR WHAT SHE REALLY WAS. Mori was silent after that, and the only sound among them was the wind blowing through the branches of the trees.

WILL YOU DO ME A FAVOR? WILL YOU…SCRATCH BEHIND MY EAR? IT ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE ITCHING, AND I CAN NEVER REACH IT. The big wolf grunted and tried to reach the spot with her back leg as if trying to prove her point. She asked this quite suddenly, taking Larva by surprise. Hand shaking a bit, Larva reached over and scratched the Elder behind her ear, making her lower her ears and purr deep in her throat. OH, THANK YOU. IT'S A BOTHER SPOT TO REACH. She looked back at him, her eyes once again serious. NOW, HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT I WAS NOT PLANNING TO BITE YOUR HAND OFF.

This surprised Larva more than her request. He had not even thought about it.

THAT IS CALLED TRUST, WESTERN SHINMA. THAT'S WHAT I SEE IN YOU AND YOUR COMPANIONS. THAT'S WHY I FEEL YOU ARE THE RIGHT ONE TO BE HER GUARDIAN. IT IS LATE, AND THERE IS A BIG DAY AHEAD. YOU SHOULD REST.

They headed back to the grove, where Miyu was still sleeping. WESTERN SHINMA, MAKE SURE YOU TAKE GOOD CARE OF HERI DO NOT HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT IN THIS LIFE. PROTECT HER WITH ALL YOU HAVE, AND NEVER LET HER GO.

"I promise." Larva said. "I will not let anything harm her." Mori left. Larva disappeared for a heartbeat before appearing again in the tree Miyu was sleeping in, putting his arm around her and drawing her close to him.

Miyu stirred a little, opening up her eyes just a little. "Larva?" she began, her voice heavy with sleepiness. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He answered, soothing her hair back. "Everything's fine. Go back to sleep." Miyu smiled as her eyes closed, and she snuggled herself against him some more. She was soon asleep again, and between the lull of the crackling fire and Spartoi and Ryuko's snores, sleep soon claimed him as well.

Subconscious, uncertain

I'm showered by the dust

But the spirit enters into me and I…

Submit…

To trust…"

(Peter Gabreil, _The Rhythm of the Heat)_

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To be continued…

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	26. Red Dawn

****

Author's Note: YEAY! School is OVER! I'm FREE! Well, kinda, but certainly free enough to start writing again! Gah, I am soooooo sorry about the tardiness of this chapter…but it is not dead! I will go on! And on, and on…and on. It's a long one, folks, but stay with me. How long, you ask? Well, this chapter crossed the 200 page mark. Hazzah! And it's only 1/3 done! **hangs head**** **What have I gotten myself into….? This was the most painful chapter I have even written, so don't expect a whole lot for this. I tried guys, I really did…

Chapter Twenty-Six

Red Dawn

The clouds had moved back over night, a thick gray blanket that smothered the sky from view, but the forest of the Fifth Layer was alive with the dancing reflections from blades and swords of every type. The whole sight made Miyu uneasy. This was a battle of magical and mental strength, not one of physical deftness. There was little chance that their swords and weapons would do a great deal of good once they were faced off with Caial and her son, but she could get an idea of why the other Shinma kept their weapons bared. It was a sense of security, of something that they could use to defend themselves if it came down to it. It gave them confidence. Miyu almost wished that she had a sword too.

The whole idea of fighting this small-scale war scared her. In her entire carrier as guardian, she had never fought anything but random fights with various Shinma, which were usually brawls consisting of everything a Shinma had against her all-mighty flame. This, though. This was different. She was now fighting an enemy with a reason to fight her, rather than because of who she was and it was what she did. Caial had a reason to kill her. This was not some mindless brawl; it was an actual battle. That little difference made all the difference in the world. And that's was what scared her.

Larva felt the unease too. Compared to the Chinese and the Western Shinma, Miyu looked small and defenseless. Where they had armor and weapons, Miyu only had her fire that was called at her will. True, her flame had never failed her before, but he wished, deep inside, that there was something else. And she looked scared. That was what unnerved him the most, but he knew better than to think of Miyu as not being able to take care of herself. He knew for a fact that she was strong and fearless, despite her appearance; she had the true heart of a warrior, and there was not a thing yet that she backed down to.

The only thing that broke Miyu's deep foreboding train of thought was when Larva lay a hand on her shoulder; comforting and giving her the support she needed then. Miyu tilted her head back slightly to look up at him, golden eyed that met ruby eyes that spoke to her; "Do not fear today's events; we will be near to protect you. I will always be near to protect you." Miyu cracked a small, thankful smile, raising her arm so she could place her hand on Larva's, squeezing his fingers. Somehow still, with all the support she had and with Larva closer to her than ever, she had never felt so helpless.

YOU MUST NOT WASTE TIME. Came Mori's voice from behind, making several of the Shinma jump a few feet in the air. No one had any idea she had been standing there. THE ENEMY DRAWS NEAR.

"Holy jeez, will you not do that?" Kitsune grumped, clutching the fabric of her shirt over her heart. "If I'm going to die today, I don't want it to be from a heart attack before the battle even starts!"

Mori gave the fix girl a quick, hard warning stare before continuing. IF YOU PLAY CAREFULLY TODAY, CHINESE SHINMA, THEN NON OF YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT DYING, BUT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE OF THAT, YOU MUST ACT NOW. REMEMBER THAT THE QUARL ARE PARASITES, AND THE CLOSER THEY GET TO THE HEART OF THE DARKNESS, THE STRONGER THEY BECOME. THEY WILL LAP UP THE STRONGER POWERS OF THE LOWER TIERS, SO IT IS INEVITABLE THAT YOU ACT QUICKLY.

"Well, there's no better time than now." Yoshi said, pitching his scythe-bladed sword over his shoulder. "If you want to stop the fire, then you must stop it while it's still a spark. Are you absolutely sure that the last two Western Shinma won't be helping us?"

"Positive." Larva's answer was short, and to the point.

"Pity. We could sure use the fire-power."

"Mori," Yoto spoke suddenly, as if Yoshi's words had brought a new thought to mind. "Do you think that we alone are enough to withstand Caial?" Everyone stopped at this question, eyes locked on the massive form of the ancient Elder, anxiously awaiting her answer.

And to their discontent, the Elder did not answer right away, only looking back at them with those unblinking golden eyes, obviously choosing the right words to answer with. KNOW ONLY THIS; THE QUARLS ARE LIKE PARASITES. THEY FEED OFF THE POWERS AND MAGIC THAT THIS LAND HOLDS, GROWING FROM IT. THE CLOSER THEY GET TO THE FIFTH LAYER, THE STRONGER THEY BECOME, AND CAIAL HAS ALREADY HAD A LONG TIME TO REGAIN THE POWERS THAT SHE HAS LOST… I AM UNSURE OF THEIR STRENGTH AS OF NOW. Miyu tried not to notice how nervous the other Shinma were looking.

There was a rustling in the brush around them, and not more than an instant later two snowy white objects shot out of the shadows; Mioshi and Okkoto drew up beside their mother, tongues lolling from their jaws, their lean chests heaving in ragged pants. It was no mystery that they had just come from a very long distance away, running very hard and very fast, in desperate attempt to deliver whatever message Mori needed to hear. THEY COME, MOTHER.

"The Quarl?" Everyone was suddenly at attention, glancing around them as if expecting the enemy to burst forth.

Mori raised her nose into the air, testing it, but there was no alarm in her nature. She did, however, snap her head back down with a short, disgusted snort, her lips curling into a sneer. A soft growl emitted from her throat, and only a few of the Shinma were able to distinguish it as words; Not now.

Miyu felt what was wrong long before she had to ask. It was a combination of a chill running, clawing its way up her spine and every single hair on her neck and arms standing on end, as if hit by an electric charge. There were Japanese Shinma coming into the area. A lot of Japanese Shinma. A lot of really, really powerful Japanese Shinma, and coming very close. 

WESTERN SHINMA, STAND DOWN. THESE ARE NOT SHINMA TO BE DEALT WITH LIGHTLY. YOU AS WELL, CHINESE SHINMA. Mori commanded to them, and they all did exactly what she told them to do. 

They arrived with a flourish and an aura of which Miyu had never seen before. Only a few appeared in the clearing of the Fifth Layer from the shadows, a familiar entrance used by those not wanting to make a spectacle, but the others seemed to like drawing attention to themselves. The air rippled and shimmered as Gates and Dimensional Folds were opened before their eyes, and Japanese Shinma dressed in their full formal attired and airs of their own superiority stepped out, congregating before Mori and the others. Although Miyu held a straight and serious face, it was not easy to mask her otherwise bewildered feeling. These were Shinma that she had never seen before. They were more human than most of the Japanese Shinma she had to deal with, with minor variations such as pointed eyes, slit-pupil eyes and tattoo-like marking on their faces. They dressed in ancient samurai and warrior armor that looked restored to new and elaborate robes and kimono, and nearly all of them were baring a weapon of some sort. The air of the Fifth layer was electrified with all the collected power, and the warrior-types fingered the hilts of their katana sword as they eyes the odd party of Shinma closely and dangerously. New Shinma as they were to her, Miyu could guess what they were. Fourth and Fifth Layer Shinma, who were so powerful and so arrogant that they never ventured to the Earth realm, so she never had to worry about dealing with them. Right now she was more than grateful that she never had to; their mere auras gave an undertone of how strong they really were.

Three Shinma stood out among the rest, their faces set and hard and their eyes eerily cold as they sized up the Western and Chinese Shinma that stood behind Miyu. The only one who really stood by her side was Larva; even the Chinese Shinma were on their guard.

Two of the Shinma were wearing armor that she had only seen in books and museums from the old Feudal age. One wore a breastplate and shoulder and arm armor over an orange kimono and deep green pants, the armor bound over his torso by white sashes. His hair was dark, long and tapering off in between his shoulder blades with two pointed animal-like ears poking up from the top of his head. The other wore less armor, but the traditional robes he wore beneath were more elaborate, his long hair pure white with dark stripes slashed across his pale face. And standing behind them was none other than Somuku, all spikes and tusks and bad attitude, the Elder of the Third Layer.

SOMUKU… Mori's voice dripped with bitterness. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? DO NOT TELL ME THAT YOU ARE RESPONCIBLE FOR THIS RALLY? IF YOU HAVE NOT NOTICED, WE ARE ON A BIT OF A TIME CONSTRAINT.

MORI…I CANNOT STAND FOR THIS ANY LONGER. ALLOWING THE WESTERN SHINMA ONTO OUR LANDS IN THE FIRST PLACE IS UNACCEPTABLE. BUT NOW…NOW YOU ARE ALLOWING THEM TO FIGHT ALONG WITH US? THAT IS AN INSULT TOO GREAT FOR US TO BEAR.

YOU'RE STUMBLING OVER YOUR OWN SPEECH, SOMUKU. Mori rumbled deep in her throat. AND WE DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS. IF YOU HAVE NOT NOTICED, THERE IS A RATHER DANGEROUS ENEMY LOOSE ON OUR LAND, AND THEY ARE HEADED THIS WAY. IF YOU STAND IN OUR WAY, THEN THEY MAY BE UNSTOPPABLE BY THE TIME THEY REACH THE FIFTH LAYER. RIGHT NOW, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHO HELPS US, NOT WHOSE PRIDE IT RESTS ON.

"But I think it is our concern, Elder." Although still speaking to her in respect, the dark-haired Shinma's tone was challenging. He gave the immediate impression of one with a cocky, know-it-all attitude that Miyu disliked as soon as those words left his mouth. 

Trying not to draw attention to herself, Miyu leaned over and whispered to the Chinese Shinma from the corner of her mouth: "Guys, who are these people?"

"About the last people we want to deal with right now, short of the Quarls." Tacha whispered back. "These are the stronger Shinma of the Third and Fourth Layer; there are even some Fifth Layer inhabitants mixed in there as well. The two you see by Somuku are Ohei'na and Seishimaza, the Sentinels of the Third and Fourth Layer, but almost every knows they've been after the higher positions for centuries."

"It is not so much that you are allowing the Western Shinma to assist us in fighting in our battles." The white-haired Shinma, Seishimaza, responded. His voice was cooler than Ohei'na, but still held the same air of arrogance. Miyu was beginning to dislike them more and more every moment they stood there. "It is there mere fact that they are here in the first place, and why they were not dealt with when we first got wind of their kind on our land." Miyu felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle; she could already tell where this was heading. 

"Correct." Ohei'na said with a sneer, and looked directly at Miyu. Unlike other Shinma, the Sentinel of the Third Layer did not lower his eyes when he looked into her own golden orbs. "If the _guardian_ had done her job, then we would not stuck in this mess to begin with." There was a ripple of agreement from the Shinma standing behind them. Behind her, Miyu felt a stir of anger radiating from the Chinese behind her. She could even sense Larva next to her twitch internally, wanting to protect her from that slanderous remark, but no one moved, not including Yoshi who was trying hard to struggle out of Yoto's grip. It was a little difficult to keep the bat-boy back from clobbering the daylights out of the Japanese Shinma who had insulted her. And Miyu stood her ground, jaws slightly clenched and her eyes narrowed, but she did not advert them from the hard gazes of the challenging Shinma.

YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BLAME THIS ON MIYU'S FAULT. Mori's Voice was calm, but it was edged like a razor. SHE WAS ONLY TOLD AT HER AWAKENING THAT SHE WAS TO RETURN THE STRAY SHINMA TO THE DARK. FIGHTING OFF A FOREIGN INVADER WAS SOMETHING SHE WAS NEVER EXPECTED TO PREPARE FOR; IT WAS NEVER EVEN MENTIONED.

BUT SHE WAS TOLD SHE WAS TO PROTECT THE LAND FROM ANY AND ALL HARM OF DISTURBNACE AT ANY COST; IT DOES NOT MATTER FROM WHOME THEY ARE OR WHO THEY ARE FROM. Somuku retorted bitterly. Miyu tried hard not fidget, but it was a little difficult when the two most powerful Shinma in the realm were speaking of her as if she was not there. 

"Allowing her to bond to a Western Shinma was stepping near the boarder line, but to allow others to wander free is unacceptable." Seishimaza spoke. If you have not forgotten, Mori, they were responsible for collapsing the Western Gate and for the death of the Elder of the First Layer! We have killed our own kind for less than that."

Ohei'na curtly nodded in agreement. "They should have been dead when they set foot on this shore."

HAD YOU BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE SITUATION, Mori countered, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE NOTICED THAT MIYU HAS HAD NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES TO KILL THE WESTERN SHINMA; HER POWER FAR SUPPRESSES THEIR OWN, YOU CAN FEEL IT IN THE VERY AIR. I AM SURE SHE HAS HER OWN REASONS FOR KEEPING THEM ALIVE UNTIL NOW. BESIDES, YOU FORGET THAT SHE IS THE LIVING FLESH AND BLOOD OF KYUKO, THE ONE THAT SAVED US ALL FROM A DISASTROUS FATE ALL THOSE YEARS AGO. SHE HAS KYUKO'S SPIRIT AND HER FIRE. SHE WILL NOT ALLOW HERSELF TO DO ANYTHING FOOLISH. 

__

So she says. Miyu thought bitterly, desperately hoping that none of the Shinma could read minds. _Had I had my way, they would have been dead for what they did to me and Larva. It because of the current situation that they are still alive. It's the Quarls they should be thanking, not me._

Then it happened, the one and last retort that the Japanese Shinma had up their sleeves; the one that all of them had anticipated one way or the other, but it struck a nerve nonetheless.

"True…she may be the living heir of Kyuko and the vampires." Came the jeer of another young, cocky Japanese Shinma. "But Kyuko would not have passively allowed her own death by her own _Shimobe_, even if he was originally her enemy come to kill her in the first place."

The reaction to his words resulted in sheer pandemonium. The world seen through Miyu's eyes grew red with anger, set on fire from the harsh words that came from the mouths of seemingly her own people, but she still somehow managed her keep her cool. Only her lip turned up in a small snarl, exposing her enlonged canines. The reaction of the Chinese Shinma, though, was much different; they threw every curse they knew at the offenders, but Miyu did not hear half of it; her mind was filled with a horrible buzz, the echo of what they had just said. The taunts of the Chinese Shinma only stopped when Ryuko and Yoshi had to pounce on Larva, holding him back from trying to cut each and every one of their throats, regardless of their powers and rank, or what they could do to him as their hands moved cautiously to their weapons. If their verbal attack had been physical, then Larva had been fatally wounded; she could feel the anguish of his heart through their bond. The feeling, that horrible, twisting sickening mix of anger and guilt made tears want to rise to her eyes, but she would not allow them to come. She could not appear weak before these incredibly cruel creatures.

Once they were a bit calmed down, silence settled into the area, thick and heavy but as fragile as spun glass, waiting to be broken at the first breath of a spoken word. Each side waited for the other to respond first; it was Mori's voice that shattered it. 

WELL THEN, MIYU. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO THAT?

Miyu let her eyelids drift close, but not to hide them from the others, but to clear her mind as she calmed her mind, turning the muddied thoughts into crystal-clear water, choosing her words carefully. When she finally opened them, whatever look they held in their golden depths was far more chilling them any before, because all the Shinma facing her, including the Sentinels and even the Elder, took a step back in surprise, their own eyes, however many they had, widened slightly in surprise. 

"It's ironic that you speak of 'our' land… an foreign enemy in _our_ land. Allowing who were once enemies to fight along side _us._ But, from what I have noticed, you may have issues about _my_ decisions, but the lot of you have not done a goddamn bloody thing about it other than choose the most inappropriate time to complain about it." Miyu, surprisingly, was able to keep her voice calm, even, and unwavering despite the rage she felt burning inside, but each word stuck at those listening like a dagger of ice. Had they been any more accurately and chillingly punctuated, then the Shinma would have flinched at each syllable. "You speak of yourselves as superiors, as having power that would suppress my own, whatever they may be, and yet you only sat in whatever realm you may call home, letting these invaders destroy the Gates, killing our Elders…" She gave a short, cruel laugh. "Some pride you have for your home. You did not do a damn thing about it.

"And now…now, there are monsters loose in our forests, in our mountains. I assume most of you were alive during these so-called 'Shinma Wars', so you must know that these are the same enemies as before, not those who are standing behind me. The real enemy are the one who invaded the land, who my ancestoress battled against, who as killed by them; the Western Shinma were your allies then, or are your prides too large to remember that? Yes…I could have killed _them_ when they first arrived and had all the reason too, even though now I do not know why. If you think I am wrong for this, then you can kill them yourselves. Go ahead. They're right there, helpless and defenseless." She could almost hear the blood draining from their faces, and was very relieved when none of the Japanese Shinma moved. 

"It is time to see who is the real enemy we must fight, even if it means burying our own pride and siding with those we would think to be the last ones to fight along side with. I think that now is one of those times. You speak of how it is my duty to guard this land, but what have you been doing before I Awoke, since the last vampire was alive? Sit back and let whatever happen to the one place we have to live in? I may be the guardian, but it is up to all Japanese Shinma to guard this land. 

"So if you have problems about the job I have been doing alone for all these years, I will be more than happy to step down and let you handle this on your own. And if this realm is destroyed because of your lack of compatibility, then _so be it_." Those last three words were the harshest she spoke, making almost everyone in the clearing cringe and shrink back. The silence returned, giving her speech time to sink in.

WELL THEN. The light tone of Mori's voice caught everyone off guard, since Miyu's tone had before been so much more forceful in their attention-holding death-grip. I THINK THAN THAT SETTLES IT. SOMUKU, YOU WERE INDEED A FOOL TO HAVE DOUBTED MIYU IN HER ABILITY TO UPHOLD THE GUARDIAN OF THIS LAND. HER SOUL IS STRONGER THAN ANY OF US PUT TOGETHER, THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT, AND I STAND BY HER AS STRONGLY AND AS CLOSELY AS I STOOD BY KYUKO AND THOSE BEFORE. IT IS THESE TYPES OF LEADERSHIP QUALITIES THAT THIS REALM NEEDS, AND THAT WE HAD NOT SEEN SINCE KYUKO WAS ALIVE. THEREFORE, IF THEY ARE TO SURVIVE TODAY'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE ENEMY, I HEREBY APPOINT MIYU THE HIGH VOICE OF THE JAPANESE SHINMA REALM. THE RETURN OF THE QUARL WILL CERTAINLY DRAW ATTATNION TO US, SEEING AS THEY CAUSED SO MUCH TROUBLE IN THE PAST. CHANGE IS COMING, I CAN FEEL IT IN MY VERY BONES. WE WILL NEED… AN APPROPRIATE VOICE FOR OUR LAND.

Miyu did not dare to tear her eyes away from the other Japanese Shinma, but whatever this "High Voice" thing she was supposed to be was apparently a big deal. The Japanese Shinma began to whisper among themselves, and she could barely hear the Chinese Shinma behind her. The only one who did not seem shocked was the Third Layer Elder, who kept his sharp, piercing gaze locked with Miyu's. She could tell that he was sizing her up, weighing his thoughts of her capability to be what Mori said she was going to be in the future. For a moment, she was sure he was going to reject Mori's seemingly solid proposal, until…

I HOPE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING, MORI. I FEAR FOR OUR CLAN'S SAFETY IF IT IS TO BE TRUSTED WITH A CHILD. And before anyone could respond, he turned, and with a flick of his tail, disappeared. The other Japanese Shinma remained behind, obviously too much in shock from Miyu's speech and Mori's inevitable decision.

"If you're going to help," her voice was once again deadly calm. "Then follow me. Anyone else, get out of my way. I have a job to do." Without waiting for anyone to respond, Miyu pushed her way past the Japanese Shinma – it was not a huge task, as they all jumped out of her way – and she disappeared after Somuku.

From in back where the vampire once stood, the Chinese Shinma and Western Shinma alike stood in shock, pressed hard against each other, eyes wide. It was not until she was gone that they remembered to breath once again. "Ah…we should follow her, shouldn't we?" Kitsune asked, disturbing the stunned silence that had followed her departure. There was no verbal agreement, only a wave of released magic as one by one, the Chinese Shinma disappeared after their friend.

"Holy good God…" Spartoi breathed when the last tail disappeared, and he turned to Larva. "That doesn't frighten you at all?"

Larva returned his friend's look with a cool and steady gaze; he was perhaps the only one among the remaining Shinma who did not seem shaken in the slightest. "Why should I be?" He turned, and disappeared as well, leaving the Western Shinma to follow, hesitantly, after him.

* * *

"Holy crap!" Were the first words to reach their ears when they appeared out of their Gates wherever it was that Miyu had taken them. "That was pure genius! _What_ side of _whose_ bed did you wake up on this morning?"

"I really…don't know." Miyu said, all her previous cool composure lost. She was leaning up against the trunk of a huge spruce, holding her head in her hand, her legs slightly buckled and shaking. "I'm just…tired of people telling me how to do my job after years of me doing it on my own… if they think that they can do it any better, then why aren't they the ones out here? And now we're expected to go out and fight this battle? Oh, my head…"

"You can only hit someone so long before they hit back." Yoto quoted from the side, looking off into the forest, looking as if he was expecting someone.

"Besides, what was that…thing Mori wanted me to be? The High Voice?"

To her discomfort, the Chinese Shinma exchanged nervous glances with each other, the look that told her that they knew, but they were not going to tell her that instant. And the looks exchanged were also worried, hesitant, and deciding that she did not need any more stress than was already on her shoulders, she merely grumbled: "Forget I asked" and when back to massaging her eyes. A gentle hand on her shoulder made her look up into Larva's concerned gaze. She reached up and touched her hand to his, acknowledging his presence and forever silent support. In the challenge coming up, it was nice to know that she would have at least one person by her side the entire time.

"Well, it's about time!" Came a high voice from the forest, and Ichirou burst from the foliage, pale and panting, and he looked very, very spooked, not like his usual perky, energetic self. "Miyu, we have a real crisis on our hands! The Quarls have just breached the Second Layer, they're heading here on the warpath! They're taking out any Shinma in their path! We already have twenty dead Shadow Eyes on our hands! You gotta hurry, Aoi and Ranka are already baring the path, but their shields are only so strong!" He then noticed the Western Shinma standing by. "So I guess you didn't run back with your tails between your legs, huh? Great, we need all the firepower we can get! Now come on, we got to move!" In a flash, he was gone again, and without another word, they followed.

They arrived in the middle of a vast field, the long grassy rippling in the wind, and below the blanket of gray clouds, a blood-red sun was rising. The world looked empty except for three figures standing in the field… Well, two were standing; one's tall frame silhouetted against the dawn sky, white hair blowing into the wind, the smaller werewolf at his side, while their companion knelt on the ground. There was a heavy presence in the air, as if something was pressing in around them, and when Miyu took a step forward, she saw a shimmer of iridescent light against the gray and red sky. A shield that the two Shinma have put up to keep them from pressing any further without resistance, but the shimmer of light was a sign that it was weakening. 

They approached the two Shinma at a brisk jog, and saw immediately why Ranka was kneeling. Laying on her lap was a young Shadow Eye, her shawl removed, blood oozing from her mouth as her hand gripped a gaping wound in her side, the red liquid making the grass sticky and gave the illusion that the very earth was bleeding. "It's not good." Ranka said, not even looking over her shoulder when they others drew near. "She's beyond help now."

"I know her." Spartoi said with a hint of sorrow in his voice. "She was the one who lead us to the lower Layers."

Mashu coughed, sending up more blood. Her eyes were unfocused beginning to glaze over with death, but when she saw Miyu they snapped open, pulling herself into a sitting position, taking hold of Miyu's yukata and pulling her towards her. "You can't let them win!" The dying ninja choked out, shuddering so hard that Miyu felt herself shaking. "Don't…don't let them kill us! You….you… you have to…" With a final cough, she slumped forward, and her skin turned cold, and her body slowly turned to mist to be taken away on the wind.

"It starts." Ranka said, unshaken by the death of the young Shinma, brushing the blood from her kimono. "I hope you have prepared yourselves enough." Miyu slowly stood back up, moving towards Larva, and the Chinese and Western Shinma were huddled in their own groups, looking anxious. 

"And you think that you would have all the fun?" 

Everyone jumped that that one; several of the Chinese Shinma even fell to the ground. "I really wish people would stop doing that!" Kitsune shouted up at Nagi who stood grinning over her, Yui and Senju at close hand.

Nagi let out a huge, fake sigh. "I guess since we were already involved, we might as well help you finish it." He said as the others picked themselves up from the ground, brushing themselves off. Yui rushed over to Miyu and gave her a quick hug before returning to Nagi, as if afraid that something would snatch her away if she was away from his side too long.

Thunder cracked across the sky, lightning shattered the sky, making them all wince but hold strong. "What was that?" Ichirou asked, looking skyward.

"It's coming!" Ranka shouted, and not more than a heartbeat later it seemed as if the ground under them had exploded, but it was actually something punching into the earth from above. A huge ball of light and energy seemed to be thrown from the sky, crashing into the earth and blowing a crater in the ground a hundred feet across and twenty feet deep, burning away the grass and turning the field into a landscape of barren rock and towering boulders. Brown smoke and dust filled the sky, and the Shinma and Shi alike had to shield themselves to the best of their abilities against the rain of rock and shrapnel that hammered down upon them.

Finally, the smoke cleared, and standing in the middle of the crater were two figures baring the presence of a hunger for death and destruction. One of them was unmistakably Cait Sith, an ugly smirk plastered on his dark face. And standing beside him was a woman dressed in a long black dress and a tall white turban with a presence unlike Miyu had ever felt before.

"Well now, children." She said in a voice as smooth as silk that had been soaked in poison. "Is it time to play already?"

---------

****

TO BE CONTINUED…

---------


	27. The First Seige

**Author's note (new notes):** **_THIS_** is the real version of chapter 27!  And, personally, one of the few chapters I've been proud of in a really, really long time.

**Old stuff:**Once again, I sincerely apologize for the tardiness of this chapter. I think one reason was because not only are battle scenes incredibly difficult to write to make everything flow smoothly, but I also was a little unsure of how to properly write Caial's character. For those of you who have read the Shin Miyu manga, you'll notice that this battle is quite different than what takes place in the official story. The real help actually came from Final Fantasy VIII, mainly during the very last battle with Ultimecia. And then again when I was playing through the game, when I had to battle Edea for the first time. I think that the two most evil women of the game perfectly capture if not her character, then definitely Caial's dialogue with the characters. So thank you Final Fantasy, once again! On with the show!

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The First Siege

"Better stand tall when they're calling you out,

Don't bend,

Don't break,

Baby, don't back down."

Bon Jovi, "It's My Life"

"Now what in the hell kind of line is that?"

Those were not exactly the first words that Miyu would have spoken at the very beginning of a battle, but for some reason, they seemed to work. At least someone said _something_, even if it was left up to Yoshi.

Caial smirked at the group, a smile that made Miyu feel as if she ad been coated head to foot with greasy black oil. 

"Well now…isn't this nice?" Her voice reminded Miyu of hot iron being slowly dipped into a bucket of ice water. "A welcoming party, here to witness our conquest of this meaningless little country. Makes me wonder what it was about it that kept it standing the last time. Not that it matters…I have to say I am a little disappointed that the Elders entrusted their precious country in the hands of such children. If you step aside now, then I might let you die easily."

"And once again, your underestimation will be the source of your downfall, Queen of the Devils." Ranka's voice was surprisingly strong and stern, not like its usual soft self. "For you have more to face against this time…and this time, we're ready for you." All around her, the Shinma immediately took up their battle positions, the blades of their swords flashing in the gray light for dramatic emphasis.

As Miyu had expected, Caial did not look in the least bit take Ranka's words to her black heart. "Touching words, child. I heard similar from a Shinma who was remarkably like you last time, but whose face vaguely slips my mind. And you would be…"

Ranka drew herself up even taller than before, and in that moment, she seemed to tower over the other Shinma standing beside her. "I am the Sentinel of the Second Layer, Ranka."

"Sentinel, huh?" An inevitable cruel smile crossed the Queen's face, creating an ugly amused smile. "Oh yes, now I do recognize you. You have your mother's face, child. The same bright eyes. And I wonder if it will look the same as it did when I plucked those same beautiful eyes from her skull?" The pain that flashed across Ranka's eyes was as clear as crystal, and the once proud sentinel, so strong amidst the pressure of situation, shrank back as if she was physically struck. But even in her own moment of gloating, there was a shadow of uneasiness in Caial's eyes as well, as if Ranka's words were actually able to touch a nerve deep inside as she studied the geisha. "A Sentinel, huh…? Well, you were not so incredibly difficult the last time…"

"Then is that why you're making a second attempt of seizing this land?"

The voice the rose from behind Caial was light, playful, and innocent, as out of place as laughter in a cemetery, taking the witch completely by surprise. The voice was, of course, unfamiliar to her, but there was a tickling in the back of her mind that reminded her of someone else, in another time…

Standing behind her with a air that betrayed the actual seriousness of the situation was a little slip of a girl, no older than a child, wearing a traditional white yukata and red obi, her long brown hair pulled to the side and kept bound in a bun and tail. Despite the darkness cast by the clouded sky, her eyes glowed golden, a fire raging in their very orbs, its fury masked by a rather placid and amused face. Even through her youth, even though Caial had never laid eyes on her before, a single word escaped her lips, a name…

"Kyuko…"

Miyu cocked her head to the side for the space of a heartbeat…why had Caial just called her that? But there was no sense in wasting time wondering. "Sorry, but you have me confused with someone else. I am Miyu…the vampire Sentinel of the Japanese Shinma Realm." She smiled playfully, but her seemingly innocent giggle was one to freeze the spines of the weak.

"Then, that must make you…the granddaughter of the woman who imprisoned me…" The very air around Caial seemed to darken as she looked over Miyu, looking at Miyu dangerously out of the corners of her blood red eyes… 

Then, with the speed and fluidity that reminded Miyu chillingly of a striking cobra, the queen of the Quarl snapped her head in Miyu's direction, her eyes glowing white-hot. Like the flash of lighting, a sickening-colored aura blazed around Caial's form just before Miyu felt the rush of expelled energy rush up to strike her in the face. But, somehow, Larva proved to be faster; Miyu could just catch of a glimpse of his hand lashing out to block her from the attack. Within the space of a heartbeat her guardian was able to create the weaves of a makeshift barrier, but it was still strong enough that the attack dissolved upon impact, but even then the force was enough to shake their senses so strongly that Miyu could feel her teeth rattle. The ground shattered around her feet, the shrapnel flying as she was just barely able to jump out of the way, but not before she felt something sting across her cheek before she could touch down a good ten feet away.

"Miyu, you must keep your guard up!" Ranka warned her from just a few feet away, her voice implying a very strong "this-is-no-time-to-be-playing" tone. "This is no ordinary battle."

The sentinel only half-heard Ranka's words; she was more preoccupied with the small tickling sensation that was making its way down her cheek. With slender fingers, she reached up to brush at the spot, and when she looked at her hand, she saw a thin trail of blood across the digits; a red stain on white silk. "I'm aware of that, Ranka." A small trademark smile tugged at the corner's of Miyu's lips as she licked the blood away. The smile was only there for a second before it was replaced by a look of dead seriousness as Miyu snapped her head around to look back at Caial, her golden eyes blazing. "I will show you no mercy, old lady!"

"All right!" Ichiro cheered, his voice carrying long and loud over the battlefield. "_Let's do this!"_

That seemed to be the universal cue. The battle for survival was commenced.

Attacks of energy of the soul and magic alike cracked and shattered across the land; anyone watching at a distance might have thought hell had rose up from the bowls of the earth.  The sky darkened, lighting crashed and roared, and the very earth seemed to writhe as the first attacks were initiated.  However, unlike Ranka, the others did not seem to take it as seriously.  Miyu guessed that maybe it was to keep their minds off the fact that this was going to be a battle unlike any other, to help relieve some of the stress and take it one blow at a time.  As expected, the Chinese Shinma looked thrilled that it was starting, as if it gave them some sort of mad adrenaline high, and a few of the Western Shinma were not too far behind them.  They all took off running at the two Quarls at once, weapons flashing, attacking her with all the power they could muster as an individual.  However…

Miyu frowned as she studied the situation back further from the battle, observing to catch any of Caial's more obvious strengths…or her weaknesses, along with their own.  And what she saw was hardly encouraging as Caial batted away the attacks like flies.  Nothing was touching her!  And to make matters worse, she was pushing them back as well.  Everyone who seemed hyped up for the battle lost their enthusiasm quickly and were beginning to look more and more distressed.  Miyu turned over the information slowly in her mind, trying to think of something from everything she had seen so far in the last few days, searched for something in her memory bank for battles long past for something, _anything, that might help._

After just a few seconds Miyu was able to pinpoint the problem.  It seemed as if Caial could read the weaves of every spell being woven around her long before it was ever cast, elemental or not, giving her enough time to locate where it was coming from and how to block it.  And, at the same time, she was countering with her own magical attacks that took no more energy to cast than it took to blink an eye, with a much wider attack range and twice the damage any of their attacks were causing.  The others had not been joking; this was not going to be an easy battle.

What they needed…was not a distraction, exactly, but a way to make her think that one thing was going on while her defenses would be down for the opposite, and the easiest way to do that was with a clash of elements.  "Tacha!  Water Lipper!  I need your help!"  Miyu called to the two water-users, who looked confused for a moment but nonetheless responded quickly.  "Listen, I need to two of you to cast water spells at the same time, just until I can get mine up.  I think I might know how to hit her.  Don't ask questions, just _do it."_

Miyu was unfamiliar with the working of water magic, but she knew that there was enough woven around her to draw Caial's attention to it and ready her defense.  Hopefully it would make her semi-oblivious to the massive fire spell that Miyu was working behind the dummy shield… And there was only so much energy she could put into it before it started to become unstable…

"All right, break it off!"  Miyu shouted to the two water-users when she could no longer control the massive fire-spell she held in her hands.  On command Water Lipper and Tacha dropped their spells in the space of a heartbeat, the presence of the water-magic falling away to leave the surrounding air to become instantly smothered in the suffocating energy of the raw fire magic.  

"Holy…!  Hit the deck!"  Yoshi shouted over the din of the battlefield, and everyone who was standing remotely close to Miyu threw themselves to the ground as the fire spell roared over them, missing most by mere inches.  The spell crushed through Caial's water-ready shield, vaporizing it on the instant, and scored a direct hit.

From somewhere on the other side of the field, Miyu could hear someone cheering.  "All right!  That's the stuff!  Miyu, keep it up!"

_Easy for them to say, Miyu thought, trying to covered the fact that she was breathing awfully hard.  __I've never made a spell that powerful before.  I could maybe do two, three more rounds if I'm lucky, but then what?  And, to make matters worse, it appeared as if the attack still had done minimal damage to the Quarl Queen._

Caial laughed once in a very cruel tone.  "Well…that was certainly amusing.  But as the descendant of Kyuko, I believe that you can do so much better than that, my dear Miyu."

What followed was a fury of fire spells, not quite as powerful as the one before, but their collective power could have done a fair bit of damage…if Caial had not been countering with fire attacks of her own.  And as much as Miyu hated to admit it, she was good.  It also made it all the more difficult when the fire began to branch off from itself and attack the others as well.  There was the old saying "fight fire with fire", but this obviously was not one of those cases.

"Is it just me, Mother, or is it getting hot here?" Cait Sith jeered from Caial's side, a sneer on his lips.  Miyu ignored his words, standing unmoving as the flames shot past her, grazing her pale skin like blades of flames.  She would not back down.  No matter what, she could not show weakness, no matter how slight it might have been; even if it included a flinch from an attack.  There was no telling how this witch could turn anything against her.

Besides, it was clear what needed to be done.  It was obvious that their individual attacks would never do any good amount of damage on their own.  What they needed was a collective, single attack, a mass pooling of all their powers, and that might give them a clean shot at doing some sort of damage, at least.  The problem was finding an opening and finding the time to charge an attack of that magnitude…

"Does that feel good, Miyu?" Caial smiled at her, mocking her, hoping to pull some sort of reaction from the young vampire sentinel.  It was terribly boring when your pray just sat there, staring at you.  Fear always made the final blow so much more delicious.

Miyu, on the other hand, only shrugged, brushing off her comment like a fly.  "Sure."

Somewhere to Miyu's left, there was a strangled, guttural cry of rage, and in a flash of oily black cloth, Miyu was just barely able to make out the remaining two Quarl henchmen hurtling her way in a blind fury. Dammit, she had forgotten all about them, and hardly had the chance to react quickly enough.  "You arrogant little bitch!" They snarled at her.  "Learn some manners!"  Like a retreating cat, Miyu prepared to hopefully spring out of harm's way, but did not have the chance to as a night-black cloak covered her in darkness and she felt herself lifted off her feet in the space of a heart-beat.  

Still holding Miyu protectively to him, Larva rose one deathly-white hand in the air, the red nails gleaming, and with one clean swipe, the hulking form of Gigi fell into two neat halves, the smell of his foul black blood saturating the air.  Gio did not last much longer; in the light of the fire-spells, Miyu faintly caught sight of thin koto strings being woven through the air, as delicate and fine as spider silk, winding their way around the body of the last remaining Quarl before tearing him limb from limb.  The bodies of both dead devils fell to bloody pieces on the ground before decomposing into the earth in the instant, the smell of their rotting flesh making the stench of the air all the more unbearable.  

Larva's hold on Miyu tightened slightly before he released her; she looked up at him briefly, thanking him silently with her eyes before turning her attentions to the Geisha that stood opposite of her.  "Hey Ranka, that wasn't fair…they were my targets!"

Ranka did not respond right away; she only shot Miyu a look, a signal, that Miyu picked up immediately; the deaths of her last two henchmen were exactly the type of distractions that they needed; Caial had broken her concentration on them, and her defenses had weakened considerably.  This was their best shot at hitting her now and hitting her good.  "Miyu!  Ichirou!  Now!"

"Right!"  Miyu called back, reaching deep into her soul and pulling forth another fire spell that could have rivaled the first.  "Yui!"

Yui rose to the occasion gracefully with Nagi and Senju not too far behind her, the powerful and soulful magic of the Shi blending with the deep-rooted Japanese Shinma atmosphere.  The magical currents blended together, bleeding together in elegant and well-blended streams of building magic, complimenting each other and further build each other's power.  Another ingredient was added to the mix as the Chinese Shinma readied their own attacks, the powers of their elements adding a shocking contribution to that of the Japanese Magic and the Shi.  The dance of magic was completed with the Western Shinma adding their magic to the fusion, and the air surrounding the battle area became so heavy that it would have crushed a human under its spiritual weight and leave behind nothing but a dark smudge on the rocks.  Anyone not accustomed to this sort of immense output of power, a rare species born from not one or two, but _four_ Clans of separate beings, would have been overwhelmed, their spirits crushed and reduced to piles of broken emotions.  

Caial, however, did not seem to take notice.

Instead, she smiled, extending an arm to keep a suddenly very shifty Cait Sith behind her.  "Step back, Cait Sith."  She said coolly.

When at last the earth and air could no longer withstand the sheer pressure of such a build-up of raw power, the breaking point was reached, like a match put to a powder-cake, creating a shockwave of pure magical energy that could have leveled a mountain.  It plowed towards Caial, churning up the earth, up heaving stones and boulders like mere marbles, but the black witch only smirked and rose her arm as the attack rushed to meet her.  Thunder became a whisper, the glaring light of a summer sun a candle flame as the attack hit true, shaking the Japanese Spirit Realm to its very core.  All the Shinma in the area had to close their eyes and guard themselves against the after-shock that made the teeth in their heads rattle.  For what seemed like centuries their world was filled with blinding white light and a roar that left their ears ringing for days afterwards, until at last it subsided and they were able to open their eyes again to see if they were victorious.

"All right!"  Ichirou cheered.  "We did it!"

But he spoke too soon.

When the dusty smoke cleared at last, a lone figure could be seen standing in the epicenter of the destruction, a cruel and mocking smile twisting her features.  A laugh rose on the wind, as mocking as the smile, a horrible sounds that drove in the true feeling of their defeat.

"My…my God…"

"You're wrong."  Cait Sith sneered at the rebelling Shinma, who were all recoiling in horror, unable to believe what they were seeing.  "You can never beat my Mama!"

Yui rose her hands to her face, her eyes wild with fear and disbelief.  "She doesn't even have a scratch…"

"What a monster…" Nagi whispered, drawing Yui closer to him.

"Well, fuck."  Kia said, deflating.  "Now what do we do?"

Caial rose her arms, stretched out on either side of her, and the air, although exhausted from the gargantuan magical blast that had taken place only a few moments ago, began to become overwhelmed again by currents of fire magic that made the battle field suddenly feel like a scorching desert.  "Now…it's time for a little revenge."  Her manner still reminded Miyu of a cat playing with a mouse before the kill, but there was definitely a more dangerous tone to it now.  Obviously, their little stunt to take her out in one blow did not make her too happy.  "First of all, I'll give to you your favorite, Miyu… And just to be nice, we'll let your friends play too!"

The fire attacks were stronger this time, screaming through the air as they rushed at their targets, and all the surrounding Shinma were just barely able to dive out of the way as it cut past them like possessed razor blades.  But these were no ordinary fire spells, for once they missed their targets, they merely turned around and sped right back in the direction in which they came.  All around her, the other Shinma were crying out in frustration and pain as the onslaught of attacks became too much for them all to block at once.  One of them bit deeply into Spartoi's shoulder, his cloak immediately becoming dark with blood as another sliced through the lower parts of one of Kia's wings, sending up a small flurry of white feathers.  The true horror of the situation was that they were so busy running and dodging the flames that they had no chance or opening to counter-attack.

"There's no time to waste!"  Nagi shouted as he made an attempt to protect Yui by throwing his cape over her.  "This fire's like a knife!  We'll be dead before we can get anything accomplished!"

Miyu hardly flinched in the deadly rain, as much to her silent surprise.  It was as if some tiny, unheard voice in her head told her exactly from which side and angle the fire was coming from before she could even see the attack coming, and dodged each one with the fluid grace that would put a cat to shame.  She glared hard at the Quarl queen, conjuring up a fire spell in her hand, which she launched at impossible speed in the same direction that one of Caial's dark fireballs was rushing up to meet her.  The two fireballs connected…

And the sound of a cracking whip and a flare of bright light, Miyu was hurtled backwards with the force of the backfiring spells, landing hard on her backside.

_Maybe that was not such a good idea…_

"Miyu!"  Larva was at her side in the blink of an eye to make sure she was not hurt, but Miyu only blinked to make sure she could fully grasp the concept of what just happened.

"Amazing…" She mumbled to herself, then actually smiled, grateful for Larva's concern.  Just like old times.  "Yup! I'm all right, Larva."  She stood up, whipping dirt off the white material of her yukata, even though she knew the force at which she landed drove the dirt stains into it.

Behind his mask, Larva breathed a sigh of relief.  This was one of the most difficult and intense battles that he had ever seen in his life, and he knew that he could not let his guard down for a second.  Some of the best warriors in all the Shinma Realms were fighting in this battle, and they were having a very difficult time getting a direct hit at the enemy.  At this rate, they would all be dead in the next hour from sheer exhaustion.  _We can't survive like this!  _He thought, looking hopelessly out into the battlefield.  All around him, more and more of his companions were showing new wounds and were getting progressively weaker while Caial herself was barely blinking.  _What can I do…I can't just sit here and wait for our deaths… But Miyu…I have to protect Miyu…_

But protecting Miyu would only save her a little longer from the inevitable.  They needed something to break this seemingly unending chain, and to do that, they needed to find Caial's weak spot.  Unfortunately, he knew, that most of them had only been toddlers during the first Shinma wars, and even if they had been old enough to fight, they would were not able to get close enough to the witch to discover any weak points.  There was only one person in this world who contained information like that…

And right now, that was the last person that Larva wanted to talk to, but if they wanted to make it out of here alive, he had no choice.

_I must do this…_

"Larva!" His train of thought was broken when one of Miyu's fire spells connected with one that had been hurtling in his direction when he had been too wrapped up in his thoughts to take notice.  Miyu landed only feet away from him, her golden eyes wild from the battle and the oncoming of exhaustion, grabbing his arm in a way that would suggest panic.  "What's wrong?  This isn't like you!  You have to pay attention!"  She was probably right on that level; had she not interfered with that attack, he probably would have lost his head.

"I'm sorry Miyu," he apologized.  "But, I have an idea…"

Confusion intermingled with the other mixed emotions in Miyu's face.  "What?  What are you…"  Her words were cut off by a cry of surprise as another knife of fire cut between the pair, missing them both by the space of an inch, driving them apart.  Larva wove together the weak makings of a shielding spell, simple in design, but strong enough to blow the dark fire apart upon impact.  Seeing it as his only window of opportunity, Larva sent Miyu a message that only she could hear within the turmoil of her mind:  _I will be right back, Miyu!_

And with that, he was gone, vanished to some other part of the Japanese Realm.

"Are you running away, Larva?"  Cait Sith screamed over his shoulder, clearly outraged that the Western Shinma had departed, but no one else seemed to notice.  No one except for him and Miyu, who could only look on helplessly at the spot where Larva had disappeared.

_Larva…where are you going…?_

*              *              *

In the still and nearly complete silence of the ghostly forest, Pazusu awoke with a start.

He had known that the foolish battle against Caial was well-under way; he could feel it from the very moment it began, a strange little prickle at the back of his neck, like a bug biting at his skin.  He knew that he should have been out there, helping his companions, but in his current condition… Caial would sense his weakness like a shark drawn to blood in the water, and torn him to shreds just as quickly.  Just the thought of it made the stone embedded in her chest burn with newborn pain.  Besides, he could not allow Carlua to fight in such a strenuous and dangerous battle… Her magic was strong, and had the potential to become much more so, but she was not ready for such an encounter.

None of them were, he thought with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

But what had just woken him up was not the energy force of a Quarl, no any backlash of spells from the attacks that were happening somewhere along the outsides of the Spirit Realm.  It was instead of someone coming this way, one of their own…  And he had a very good suspicion of who it was.

"Carlua."  The girl had been asleep too, curled up against his chest, unaffected by the events that had been taking place for the last half hour or so.  But at the sound of his voice she stirred, opening one sky-blue eye and taking a moment to remember where she was.  "I need you to do me a favor."

The blonde girl yawned, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  "Yes, Lord Pazusu?"

"I need you to inform Mori of the current standings.  It seems as if the others aren't going to be able to hold Caial off on her own…she needs to send back up.  And don't worry, she won't hurt you."

"I know that."  Carlua said with a small nod, but there was a deep concern in her eyes.  "But what about…"

Smiling, Pazusu gently took her face in his hands and tenderly kissed her forehead.  "Just go, and be careful.  I'm all right."

The look of worry lightened a bit in her eyes, but did not disappear completely as Carlua rose and began walking towards the thick forest.  "Okay, but only as long as you stay put right there."  A small smile lit up her delicate features as she said a word that Pazusu was least expecting to hear.  

"Father…"

At first, the older man was completely caught off guard.  It was very rare when either Carlua or Larva verbally addressed him as a parent, but even in the few fleeting times when they did, it always touched him to the core, and he smiled warmly at her.  "All right…"

"I'll see you later, then!"  Carlua smiled brightly, turned, and disappeared into the shadows.

*              *              *

The air chilled to sub-zero temperatures, freezing the fire where they came speeding towards him and dropping like dead flies.  But even with the air itself nearly frozen, Yoto paused to wipe a mixture of sweat and blood off his brow.  How much longer could they hold off?  He was one of the singly most powerful Shinma in his realm, being the First Heir to the Throne, but even he found himself having a harder and harder time withstanding the constant rain of attacks.

Then, among the roar of the battle, he heard a voice rise to his ears and his ears alone.  Why him and when exactly it happened when it did, he never knew.  Maybe it was because with the world as frozen around him as the poles of his world, making him more adapt to his environment, or because of fate, he would never know, but still, it was there.  A cold and merciless hiss that was more of a shaping of words among exhaled air rather than being physically spoken; not of a Quarl, but rather one of the renegade Shi that had been assisting the devils.

_The girl Western Shinma is on the move, and alone…  Kill her…_

To be ambushed, completely unguarded and unprepared…

He certainly was not going to allow for that.

Without thinking of what consequences it might have later, Yoto ducked out of the battle, vanishing in a swirl of icy wind, deeper into the forests of the Japanese Shinma Realm.

*              *              *

Pazusu knew who was coming, and he knew that he could not allow his foster son to see him in such a condition.  There was still blood on the front of his cloak, and he knew that it would distract the man away from what he really needed to tell him, and Pazusu, above anyone else, knew that they did not have that kind of time to waste.

Gathering up his energy, the Western Shinma wove together the makings of a powerful healing spell, mixed with the threads of a time-reversal spell, in which he focused entirely on the wound in the chest.  It took an incredible amount of energy and strength to uphold, but he could feel flesh knitting together under his clothing as the blood that stained the cloth of his cloak began to disappear until not even a smudge was left.  The blood may have been completely gone, but the wound was still tender; any blow with a minimum amount of power could open it up, and if that happened…

He could not think of the consequences.  Right now, he stood, crossing his arms, as unmovable and strong as a statue, and awaited his guest to arrive.  "I am here, Larva."

Before him, the shadows began to move, to blend and swirl together until they took form of a physical and solid body, of a tall man shrouded in a flowing black cape and an eerie white mask hiding his face.  With a pale hand, he reached towards his face, slender fingers tipped with blood-red nails removing the sorrowful-looking mask.  The hood of the cloak fell, revealing powder-blue hair, finer than silk, than satin, and under the mask, the face of an angel.  An angel whose eyes were the color of freshly spilt blood, of death itself.

                Larva narrowed his eyes at the man who stood opposite of him, not at all phased by his stone-cold face, nor in inflexible determination in his hard eyes.

"Pazusu…"

It was only one word spoken, but it had set the entire tone of what was to take place between the two men; once father and son, now as good as enemies on that one faithful encounter.

An encounter that would change everything….

**-------**

**To Be Continued…**

**------**


	28. A Heart of Stone

**Author's Note:** Fwoo, one more chapter done.  It's a bit shorter than usual, but it has some pretty critical parts to it.  Good news guys, in a way.  As you guessed, I'm winding down from writing off the manga, but, needless to say, that won't be the end of the show, because we still have a whole second part to complete!  Seriously, though, if I was not so far along as I am, then I would so go back and re-write this sucker.  The beginning chapters are HORRIBLE, I don't know how you guys got through them!  Yuck… Hopefully this next part will go quicker than part one, as I have a LOT of it planned out, and I don't have to cater to anything else.  Anyway, part one's in its home stretch, so it will be just one or two more chapters after this, then the real fun begins!  Hang in there!

Chapter Twenty-Eight

A Heart of Stone

For what seemed like an eternity, the two men only stared at each other, weighing up one another with their eyes and in their minds without a word spoken between them.  The only thing that seemed to be moving was the forest around them, making the leaves of the trees dances and tossing thin tendrils of fine hair before Larva's blood-red eyes, but it did nothing to the man whom he had once called father, who remained as unchanging as stone.  Although he fought to keep his composure as cool and collected as the other man, on the inside, Larva was itching as if he had fallen into a patch of poison ivy, a painful tingle that enticed him to say something, like scratching at the itch with his own sharp claws; _anything _to break that nerve-wreaking silence, but he was unsure of what to say.  It was perfectly clear to him that Pazusu was _not_ pleased to see him.  He had as good as betrayed him as well as Carlua when he returned to Miyu, and he felt a little guilty on the inside, knowing what they went through for all the best intentions…

But, on the flip side, Larva knew that what he did was the right thing for him to do, and nothing in the whole of existence was going to make him change his mind.  He nearly breathed a sigh of relief when, at long last, Pazusu spoke first.

"It seems as if the Dark Exorcism has failed you, Larva."  It came as no surprise that that would have been the first thing that Pazusu wanted to talk about.  "The whole procedure was just a waste of time, at the end…" But judging by the clench of his jaw, Larva knew his master did not believe his own words.

Larva, on the other hand, was in no mood to talk of that situation; they could have this discussion when (or if) they survived Caial.  He had come to Pazusu for one reason, and time was running short.  There was no telling how the others were holding out on the other end, but from the tense feeling in the air, it would not be for much longer.  "Pazusu, what is the Quarl's weakness… How do we defeat Caial?  If you know, then please, you must tell me!"

He could already tell that his attempt was futile, even at the brink of near-pleading, and all hopes of ending his encounter quickly were soon dismissed when a cold and almost cruel smile made its way to Pazusu's lips.  

"No way."  

All possibilities of polite negotiations ended right then and there, and Larva hardened his features to match Pazusu's.  This was going to turn out to be much more difficult than he had planned, and from the way that the other man held himself, Larva could guess that Pazusu was going to make sure that it did not end easily.  Larva's betrayal to his family was an insult too great to bear, and for that, he had to meet certain punishments.  But he was not a child anymore, and for the first time in his life, he realized that he would have to take the full blow of Pazusu's wrath as a man.

"As long as you and Miyu are together," Pazusu continued.  "I am your enemy."

He had no time for this.  "But the things that happened between you and Caial… You're the only one who knows…"

"Don't go so easy on yourself, Larva!" Pazusu's harsh words cut off the younger man before he even had the chance to ask the question.  "If you really want to know, than the answer won't come easily.  You can ask me again after you have defeated me.  And I expect that sort of determination from you!" 

Larva could not help the expression of surprise that flashed across his face when the full meaning of Pazusu's demand became clear to him, and he was unsure if he had been expecting that sort of consequence or not.  He knew that getting the answer would not have been easy… but for the cost that his master was asking of him…

_That is true… but even if it did come down to fighting Pazusu, would I even be able to defeat him?_  He remembered back to a time when he was younger, just a child, and making a feeble attempt at trying to perform one of the spells that he had heard Pazusu reciting earlier that day.  The words were long and complex, but just by speaking them a strange sensation had come over him that made his tongue feel thick and clouded his mind, and as the spell wore on, started to make his chest ache.  He had been too young then to understand the full severity of a mispronounced or missed word, and had it not been for Pazusu showing up before the spell was complete, who knows what the consequences would have been.

_Me defeating… my Master…_

Pazusu had not been upset about Larva making an attempt to mimic the spell, but he had a way of saying things that got right to the point with clear enough meaning for even the youngest of pupils to understand.  

"_That's no good." Pazusu had said in the tone of voice that he used when his pupils usually did something wrong in their lessons, and Larva's chanting stopped immediately at the sound of his master's voice.  "It's about being free from the spell, and making your heart into nothing."_

_"Master Pazusu…" Larva was speechless at the older man's wisdom, but nonetheless understood the words that would have been a riddle to anyone else.  "Making my heart…into nothing…"_

_Seeing that his foster son understood his meaning perfectly, Pazusu offered a warm, almost fatherly smile.  "That's right…"_

_But it wasn't right…because it was a spell that I had no desire to be released from…_

The long-forgotten memories were shattered like glass when sharp words reached Larva's ears, and he felt a certain degree of shock wash over him when he realized that they were the words of an attack spell.  "No!"  But it was too late, and he had acted too slowly.  Larva felt as if an invisible wave of water had crashed over him, nearly knocking him off of his feet as all light was removed from the area and he was surrounded in complete darkness.  Then there was something else; a heavy bass thudded in his eyes, making his whole being vibrated for one split second, as all sound was drawn out from the area and locked away within the confinements of the spell.

"That was my mistake!"

Now he was in the worse situation possible.  It was as dark as night, and silence enveloped him, as well fitting as a glove.  The only sound that could be heard was the terrible thudding rhythm that was his own heartbeat.  Larva knew of this spell.  The darkness left the opponent completely defenseless, and the silence made him too afraid to move, afraid that any sound would draw their attacker to them.  Little did they know that there was one sound that they could not stop or silence, and that was the beating of their heart.  The only way to gain the upper hand in this battle was through suicide, and since Larva had no intention on taking that way out, he was completely at Lord Pazusu's mercy.

Something shot out at Larva to his right; something small and quick, but it did not mean that it was any less deadly.  It missed his temple by mere inches, cutting away a few strands of hair more neatly than any pair of scissors, just before another razor-sharp attack bit into his left arm.  It was impossible to tell where they were coming from.  "Ugh…" Larva grunted as another nearly clipped him.  "Where is he?"  Long ago, Pazusu had taught him a lesson on what to do if he was ever stuck in a situation like this, one that he could remember only vaguely.  _Clear your mind…and trace the residue of the spell back to its maker_.  Stronger spells were easier to work with, so Larva carefully but quickly read the weaves back to their source, which was almost right on top of him.

"I taught you this lesson, Larva, to set you free!"

Larva turned around full to face the man who had spoke those words only to meet an attack spell instead at full-force.

*                                                                             *                                                                                            *

Lightning cracked, thunder snarled down at them and hurricane-force winds snapped trees in half like so many toothpicks as Caial continued to bend the elements around her, attacking the tiring group of Shinma with everything she had.  Her cruel laughter drowned out everything else, filling Miyu's ears until they burned.  "Well, well!  Have you had enough of fire, yet?  Next we have this for you!"

The fire died in an instant, only to be replaced a hairs breath later with a blinding flash that made spots dance before their eyes.  Miyu blinked hard before throwing herself out of the way of the newest strains of attacks, a bolt of plasma striking the ground inches away from where she had been.  This was horrible; they were not even fighting back anymore!  The whole of their attention and energy was devoted to avoiding the witch's attacks, and that energy supply was limited and fast becoming exhausted.  

Yui shrieked as a bolt struck a boulder just behind her, breaking it into pebbles, and Ryuko barely somersaulted out of the way of an attack before he had to dodge another that struck down a second after he landed.  "Ranka!"  Ichirou howled somewhere on the battlefield, leaping into the air just as a plasma bolt shattered the earth underneath him.  "If it keeps going like this then our realm's going to be ruined!  Why don't we fall back and wait for the reinforcements to come?"

"We can't do that!" Ranka shouted back, diverting a bolt away from her with a round of finely woven _koto_ strings.  "We have to settle this here and now!"  _Besides, I believe that if we _had_ reinforcements to come, they would be hear by now, but they made it clear that they would choose death over aiding those who they once called "foe"…_

_Alas, but pride is the father of all sins._

"We have to stick this out…"  Ranka continued, biting her delicate bottom lip.  "Otherwise… otherwise we cannot show our faces to Aoi!"

Ichirou growled.  "Whatever!"  He cried out in frustration, conjuring a fire spell in his hands that he used to knock away several of the next oncoming attacks.  "I get it already!  But that monster just doesn't know when to quit!"

Cait Sith's mocking laugher rose with his mother's as he joined her in attacking the Shinma that stood opposed to them.  "This is fun, isn't it, Mama?  Make them dance some more!"

The witch smiled in that awful manner as she considered her son's words.  "I wonder, how long should I let them run and hide?"  Miyu glared up at her after she avoided being hit by another ball of plasma.  Her, the vampire sentinel, run and hide?  The very idea was absurd and an insult to everything she stood for.

"Are you okay, Yui?"  Miyu shouted back to her littler sister, who was currently picking herself up off the ground.

"Yes, but I don't have a chance to fight back!  They're too fast!"

"I know…" Miyu growled, baring her fangs.  "This old bat can keep this up forever!"

"That may be so…"  Miyu and Yui looked up to see Yoshi perched on top of a shattered boulder just above them.  "But if I'm going down, then I'm going to make sure I take a piece of them out with me!  What do you girls say, are you willing to give it all for your country?"

"Damn straight I am!"  Miyu shouted back at him, redirecting her attention back to the battle, sighing heavily and wiping the sweat from her brow as her thoughts drifted back towards Larva.  A sort of sinking feeling came over her as she realized that he had been gone for a really long time.

_Larva…where are you when we need you?_

*                                                                             *                                                                                            *

Something was wrong.  Carlua could feel it in the very air.  She may not have known the forests of Japan nearly half as well as its inhabitants, but she knew that the path back to the Fifth Layer from where she and Pazusu had been residing at was a straight and short one.  Now she had been wandering for a good half hour, and nothing was feeling the least bit familiar to her.  The last thing she wanted to think about was that she was lost, but now it was looking inevitable.

The forest seemed to be pressing down around her on all sides, making her feel as if she had somehow wandered into a cage, making it hard for her to think, to breath.  She paused for a moment, after hesitating to do so, to take a deep breath so she would keep from panicking too easily.  Unfortunately, the attempt of doing so was fast becoming in vain.  

She wanted to call out for help, wishing desperately that someone would hear her voice, _anyone_, who would be able to direct her out of this unholy place and to where she was supposed to be going.  Or, better yet, back into the arms of Lord Pazusu.  The very notion of her leaving his side was not one that had settled well with her, and more than once she was itching to just turn around and head back to him.

_Oh, for crying out _loud_ girl, just _do_ it!  I'm sure that he'll understand once you explain yourself.  Besides, what's so horrible that he has to deal with that I can't see?_  Feeling a bit more confident, Carlua drew herself high and turned on her heel to head back the way she had come – it would not be very difficult, as she had just walked straight forward the entire time – and a strangled gasp became lodged in her throat.

The way that she had traveled down…was completely gone.  Not that there was much of a path to begin with, but dense brush and tall, towering trees were now inhibiting her from going back the way she came, blocking her rout of escape completely.  They had not been there before, she was sure of it!  But, how could they have grown so quickly, literally within the space of only a few moments?  The thought dawned on her almost immediately as the pieces fell into place, and she wondered why she had not seen it earlier.

She had not been wandering aimlessly, nor had she been off-course.  Instead, Carlua had blundered right into a trap, and it was painfully obvious that there was no way out.

Struggling with every ounce of her being not to panic, Carlua made an effort to keep her mind clear, to try to think of some way to escape, but all attempts at maintaining her cool seemed to evaporate when a thin, cold laugh drifted through the dead-silent air to her.

"Poor little dove, so lost and alone…" A reedy voice crooned at her from somewhere high in the trees.  Carlua looked frantically for the source of the voice, her blonde hair whipping across her face and blue eyes wide and wild.  "So much like the little fawn that has strayed from its mother…innocent… naïve… and so, so helpless.  It's almost a shame that I must kill one so sweet, and yet it is that innocence that makes the killing so fine… I thirst to hear your screams, to see your blood spill upon the ground… Now, embrace me, my little dove!"

Something dark and quick darted among the tree branches, so fast that Carlua had to rely on her magical senses rather than her eyes to keep track of it.  It was not Shinma, nor was it a Quarl.  That meant that there was only one other option; it was from the same Clan that Miyu's vampire cousin was from, the Shi.  It was foolish in the sense that it had given her warning that it was there and was preparing an attack, which had given Carlua enough time to brew up a potentially large magical spell even through her fear, and as the creature dove at her, Carlua released the energy-based spell upon her attacker with all the strength and will she possessed.

It missed.

The spell bypassed the creature entirely as it rebounded off another tree and came flying straight at her, its massive jaws extended wide to take off her head in one clean snap.  Feeling utterly bewildered and completely out of ideas, Carlua could do nothing more than close her eyes, raise her arms to her face, and scream.

However, the finishing blow never came.  Instead the only thing that Carlua heard was a good, solid _thunk_ and the muffled cries of pain of the creature.  Cracking one blue eye open, she gasped at the site of the creature, not more than a foot away from her, hellish eyes bulged and rolling, with a large gray and rather furry fist shoved into its mouth and halfway down its throat.

"Attacking one by complete ambush – and, a child to say the least – is about the lowest that anyone can stoop to, Shinma or no."

Carlua's heart leapt into her throat as she recognized the deep bass voice from behind her, as well as above her.  She turned around and craned her neck upwards to see none other than the giant of the Chinese Shinma standing over her, his fist rammed down her attacker's windpipe and leaving it completely at their mercy.  And, surprisingly enough, he was almost smiling, but it was the shadow of a ghost's grin.  "Now then, if you're quite finished, then you'll have to deal with me now."

A sudden chill washed over Carlua's body and spirit as the temperature plummeted, making her breath steam in the air as Yoto began to step forward, forcing the Shi-demon backwards as it continued to gag on a mouthful of fist.  Its coloration began to change, as well.  From its dark steely hue it began to pale, turn white around the mouth, and…it was beginning to frost over?  Carlua understood now.  He was feeding his powers into the creature from his hold on it, weakening it with every proceeding step, until Yoto had it against the trunk of a tree.  Without even bothering to draw his arm back, the Chinese Shinma slammed the creature against it and it shattered like a porcelain doll.

Yoto sighed heavily as he shook his hand, flexing his fingers a bit.  That creature had semi-hurt him when it tried to bite back to make him withdraw, but it did not hurt for long after it broke all its teeth off on its fist.  Still, that was one less opponent that they had to worry about, he just hoped that Shiki did not send more out behind that one to do his bidding.  He had to get back to his friends before…

Something slammed into him from behind, clinging to him tightly and nearly taking him by surprise.  The adrenaline left over from the last mini-battle enticed him to lash back at the thing that had attacked him, until he saw exactly what it was that had hit him, and his eyes nearly bugged from their sockets.

Carlua turned out to be thing that had thrown itself against him, her arms wrapped around his waist and her face buried against him.  For a moment, neither of them spoke; Carlua was still too shaken up from the event that had just taken place, and Yoto had been rendered speechless from the sight of one of their former enemies clinging to him as if he were a lifeline.  Finally, after several moments of stunned and awkward silence, it was Carlua that spoke first.

"I was scared…so scared…"

Logical thought slowly came back to Yoto and his expression softened, although he was still rather unsure of what to do, or even to say back, until he felt something warm spreading through his shirt, and he realized almost instantly that they were tears.  Slowly, and maybe a little cautiously, Yoto reached up with one massive hand to gently pat Carlua's soft blonde hair, trying to comfort her to the best of his knowledge.  It had never really been something that he was exactly good at.  "Well…I couldn't let them kill you now, could I?  It was the least I could do."  He felt the Western Shinma nod slightly and pull back, wiping the errand tears from her eyes.  For some reason, it was incredibly hard to look up to him, and not because he was so much taller than she was.  It was because the next words she uttered were those that she had never dreamed that she would be saying to a Chinese Shinma.

"…Thank you."

It was barely a whisper, but Yoto heard it, as clear as crystal and just as delicate.  He would have offered a smile back – or, tried to, at least – until he remembered their current situation and how short on time they actually were.

"Come on, we got to get out of here, those creeps can come back any moment.  First, I'll take you back to your Master.  You'll be safest with him there."

Carlua nodded, not saying anything else, knowing that the Chinese Shinma was more than right.  She just hoped that Lord Pazusu was still in one piece.

*              *              *

Something warm and wet trickled down the side of his face, but he barely noticed it through the demi-shock that he was in at that moment.  The blow was strong enough to hurt him seriously, so why was he still standing and not in any sort of pain at all?  Fighting to steady his breaths and slow his pounding heart, Larva looked at the situation rationally before he understood.  Pazusu was not trying to seriously injure him, not like that time before.  He was simply trying to teach Larva a lesson, as well as punishing him for betraying his Clan and, more importantly, his family.  He would not be killed, but it did not mean that Pazusu was not going to be rather bruised and sore by the time his former Master was finished with him.

_Larva…_  Pazusu's voice seemed to surround him, as well as echoing within the younger Shinma's mind.  _You will never be able to defeat me like that!_  Larva ground his teeth as if in retaliation to Pazusu's mockery, reaching up with his hand to wipe away the wet warmth on his face, which was beginning to burn like a paper cut did.  What it was that he saw on the back of his hand, however, made him pause, and everything else went unnoticed.

A dark red smudge was smeared across the deathly white skin of his hand; blood that had seeped out from the wound that Pazusu's attack had cut across his face.  But it was the manner of the smear of blood that made him stop and consider.  It was like…the last time…

_Blood…like that time before…_ A dark image flashed across Larva's mind, one that he would rather have forgotten, and had been trying to the last few days.  Blood as black as night covering the ground, flowing like a waterfall, and a pair of shattered, heartbroken and tear-filled golden eyes… A desperate voice calling for him…  _When blood was last time on this hand… Miyu's gushing blood…when she nearly disappeared from this world!_

_Miyu…_

A new, otherworldly light blazed in Larva's eyes as he picked himself up slowly from the ground, giving Pazusu such a look that it would have sent a rapid wolf running for cover with its tail between its legs.  

_That's right…Miyu…_

"I have to protect Miyu!"

The darkness of the spell began to waver and weaken as, one by one, red-hot ghost flames strung to life all around Larva's form, which was standing taller and stronger before his master than he ever had before. A new light was blazing in his already blood-red eyes, a confidence and power that he had always possessed before, but had kept it hidden away from the eyes of his superiors most of his life.  _Not anymore… This is what I want to do with my life.  And I'll be damned if anyone else tells me otherwise._ Larva opened his soul to the power that surrounded his body, welcoming its protective warmth into his very being, burning along his veins and filling him with a strength that he had never known to exist before.

If the sight had surprised Pazusu, then he did not let it show.  Still, the mere aura of this power would have been enough to make any lesser sorcerer collapse beneath its weight.  He was almost sweating, and not from the heat created by the flames.  _What…is this?_  Not wanting to take any chances, Pazusu gathered his strength and unleashed another powerful energy-based spell, hurtling it straight at Larva with the same force and power as the spell that had caused his downfall not more than a few days ago.  The spell struck true, but was completely destroyed, blown apart by the fire spell that was protecting Larva from any such harm.  Larva did not so much as blink as the spell struck at him.  The flames continued to dance around Larva's form, seeming to taunt and mock Pazusu, driving the failure of the _Mashujutsu_ into him like a knife.  "I see… so Miyu's blood gives you this much power…"

Larva dismissed the vampire fire with a wave of his hand, knowing that a battle of magical strength would get them no where, being only a waist of time and energy.  "It's time to fight, Pazusu!  It's time to end this!"  The blood-red claws gleamed in the deep forest light, as deadly as any sword that he might have been holding.

"Come on, then!"  Pazusu shouted back, rising to the challenge.

What happened next occurred so fast that any human who might have been watching would have missed the whole thing completely.  Even Larva, when he reflected back on the conflict, could barely recall exactly what took place at that instant.  He and Pazusu were charging each other, well aware that only one of them was going to come out of this on both feet.  There was then a loud crack, a burst of light, and then…

_Silence._

The world held still all around them, as if the very forest were holding its breath, waiting to see the true outcome of the battle.  Leaves danced down from the trees above and a light breeze appeared once again, as if in a tentative manner, playing with the delicate strands of Larva's fine hair, but for the time being, those were the only things that dared to move.  For what seemed like another eternity, neither Larva nor Pazusu as so much blinked, unsure of the full damage that they might have inflicted on each other; they simply waited for the other to speak first.

At long last, a small, almost sad smile appeared on Pazusu's lips.  "Well done, Larva."

Whatever it was that Larva had expect Pazusu to say, it certainly was not along the lines of any sort of compliment.  Larva staggered in spirit, his knees weakening and nearly giving out under him as he breathed his Master's name, as if he were almost denying what had just happened.  He knew what sort of blow this was to Pazusu's pride, regardless of how proud he was that his foster son was finally, after all these years, worthy enough to defeat him in battle.

Then a small, almost inaudible sound reached Larva's ears that made his blood run cold.  A weak cough, then the sound of feet stumbling upon the earth, and when he turned, he saw, to his horror, a trickle of blood running out of the corner of Pazusu's mouth as the older man fell, slowly, to the ground.  A gasp caught in Larva's throat, and he knew nothing more in the world other than bolting as fast as he could to his Master's side.

Blood poured to the ground in great splashes, thick and red, as Larva caught Pazusu's falling form and clutched him tightly to his own.  Pazusu was clutching at his chest with one hand, which was no doubt the source of all the blood.  Indeed, Larva saw with a small sense of panic, there was a large hole in his foster father's chest, bleeding heavily with all his body's lifeblood.  If Pazusu was in pain, then he did not let it show in his face; only his voice was strained and weak, his very energy flowing out of him with his blood.  "You…have grown strong, Larva…"

Larva was in no mood for talking about such trifle manners.  He could not have possibly caused those wounds…could he?  He had meant to strike Pazusu with just enough force to know the wind from his lungs, but _never_ something like this!  Unless…  "Pazusu!  Those wounds…"

"They did not come from this battle."

"No…they didn't…" It was as Larva had expected.  He might not have given Pazusu those wounds, but if he had had them before…then when Larva had struck him, it had been forceful enough to break them wide open.  "You were already…badly wounded…"

Pazusu gave a weak laugh.  "Either way, I would have never survived.  You have given me relief from a slow death."  An utmost look of horror and shock glazed over Larva's red eyes, obviously not wanting to believe what it was that he had just told the younger man, so before Larva could say anything in retaliation Pazusu grabbed his arm, forcing him to pay attention to what he had to say.  "Larva… take this from me…" Slowly, he released Larva's arm and placed his hand against his own chest.  Gritting his teeth, Pazusu trust his hand into the hole in his chest, blood gushing along his arm and making it all the more worse as Larva looked on, totally speechless.  And from within the wound, Pazusu extracted something about the size of his fist, solid and covered with blood, extending towards Larva for him to take.

"What…is it?"  Larva almost dared not to speak; he felt like he was going to be sick.

"I risked my life…and sealed this away within my body… It's a shard of the Quarl statue.  Therefore, the resurrected Quarl Queen will never have a complete body without this piece. Understand, Larva?"  Gently grasping Larva's hand, Pazusu placed the stone within it, closing his fingers around it surface, which was hot from the blood that covered it.  Larva barely felt the weight pressing into his palm, nor was he able to see it well.  The tears in his eyes were obscuring it from his view.

"Pazusu…what have I…done?"

Again, Pazusu managed a weak laugh, touched by his foster son's raw emotion that was showing that moment.  After all that they had done to each other throughout the course of the last few days, and he was still crying before he was even dead.  "Don't worry!  It's better to live by the path you believe in…"

Larva did not say anything back this time.  The tears were flowing freely now, and all he found himself being able to do was embrace the man he called "father" for as long as he could remember.  He barely heard Carlua's voice calling out from behind them. 

Carlua crashed to her knees beside Pazusu's dying form, tears already flowing from her eyes as she sank to the ground, half embracing and being embraced at the same time.  "Lord Pazusu, those wounds… I knew that you weren't properly healed!  Who did this to you?"

"..I did."  Was Larva's short, curt reply as he stood, wiping the remaining tears from his face.  "I…I'm sorry, Carlua."

Something huge sank to its knees besides them, tearing off pieces of its blue cape to make make-shift bandages to tie around Pazusu's chest.  "He doesn't have much time, but we'll give him as long as he can hold out."  Yoto said in a grave voice, not taking his eyes off the dying man.  "Get back to the battle, the others need your help.  We'll take it from here.  Go, Western Shinma!"  The last part was a growled order, snapping Larva out of his shock.

With a nod, Larva pulled his hood up and turned to return back to the battle, his eyes glowing like hellfire.  At first, the only reason he had to battle the Quarls was to keep themselves and the Japanese Shinma Realm from being destroyed.

But now, it was personal.

------

**To Be Continued…**

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**Author's Note:** Wow, once I actually sat down to write this, it took me the whole of a week.  Now why can't I do that more often and sooner?  Ranka was wrong, pride isn't the father of sins.  Procrastination is.


	29. The Wormhole

**Author's Note:** No, I am not dead.  Yes, it has been months since the last time I posted a chapter, but other duties called first.  Finals for school, for one, and they were horrible this year; between art, Japanese, and Economics I was swamped.  Then I was working non-stop on my portfolio for Fanime, so that was several hours of drawing a day.  I had to work on getting my driver's license (which I got, thank god) and looking for a job.  On top of all that, I finally got a break in my original novel, and when I start working on that, everything goes on hiatus.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The Wormhole

Defeat was looking inevitable.

Miyu just barely ducked out of the way as a rock only a few feet away from her exploded into a million pieces of razor-sharp shrapnel, making her throw her arms up around her face to shield herself from the deadly rain.  The bits of rocket bit into her skin, leaving dozens of new burning wounds to the countless multitude that already marred her pale skin and blood stained yukata.  

"Damn it!"  Ichirou shouted over the din of thunder that roared overhead in one never-ending peal.  "What the hell are we gonna do?  If they keep this attack up, we're not going to last very much longer!"

"It's pointless to attack without a plan!" Ranka exclaimed.  "There must be some way we can sneak in!"

"Is it just me, or is that what we've been doing for the last bloody hour?" Ryuko snapped, skipping out of the way as a lightning bolt struck the patch of rock he had just been standing on.  "Think of a better plan, Ranka!"

Ichirou was right.  If they didn't do something, then they maybe had ten minutes before they were too exhausted to move.  The barrier between the second and third Layer that was keeping Caial from progressing any further was weakening, and was slowly beginning to collapse in on itself.  Once that fell, there would be nothing impeding them from making their way to the Fifth Layer, and if they could not hold of Caial as a group, then any other Shinma would not stand a chance.  It was now or never.  Miyu moved so she was back-to-back with Ranka, allowing her to talk to her while still keeping their guard up.

"Miyu…" Ranka said before Miyu could say anything.  "If the Quarl get to the Heart of the Darkness, then the Japanese Shinma Realm is doomed.  It is the pillar of this world…it's what they've been after all along."

"Skip the history lesson, Ranka, and tell me what needs to be done."  Miyu hissed through clenched teeth, her fangs bared, but she had already heard what Ranka had said.  A distraction…they needed a distraction… and Miyu could only think of one thing that the Queen of the Quarl would want that would be enough to take her attention away from the battlefield.  It may have been stupid and risky – _very_ risky – but it was the only chance they had.  "Ranka!  Cover me, I'm going in!"

Ranka gave a start, making her temporarily forget what was going on around them.  Did she really hear what she thought Miyu just said?  "Miyu?  That's ridiculous!  You'll never make it!"

Although Miyu knew this, she was not phased by Ranka's words.  What was she always told a vampire's sole duty was?  To defend this realm with her life.  If she was going down, then she sure as hell was not going to go out without a fight.  "This all started because of my lack of foresight!  So I'm the one who has to take care of it!"

"Miyu, where did Larva go, exactly?"  Ranka questioned, her last attempt to get this foolish suicide mission out of Miyu's mind.

"I don't know! But he said he'd be back soon…"

"We should wait for him them!  There must be a reason why he left, correct?"  Miyu did not have time to respond, because a second later, the raging battlefield was suddenly plunged into a dead-silence and eerie calm.  The only thing that moved around them was the icy cold wind, as everyone was stunned to silence, to surprised to so much as blink.  What in the seven hells was happening?

"It stopped?"  Senju wondered softly, his voice awkwardly loud in the quiet air.

"What's going on?" A Chinese Shinma asked to no one in particular.

A thin, merciless laugh reached their ears; Caial was apparently amused by their moment of confusion.  "Playtime is over…" She said softly, her voice like a sleek steel blade that had been freshly sharpened.  "I will put these foolish games to an end now!"  Caial raised her hands slowly to the heavens, chanting heavily under her breath, and the world began to tremble.  It was a slow rumble at first, but it quickly gained in strength and speed as the rocks and stone beneath their feet began to shatter in fine lines, deepening quickly to harsh cracks and opening wide to large, gaping wounds in the earth.  "I want to get you hoodlums out of my sight once and for all.  And once I finish off the lower tier, the entire Japanese Shinma Realm will disappear!"

The rumbling of the earth swelled quickly into a massive earthquake unlike any of them had ever seen before.  The ground under their feet bucked and writhed, seemed to be groaning and bellowing like a wounded creature, thrashing this way and that so violently that it seemed as if the world was about to rip apart at the seams.  Deep ravines tore through the rock and stone, so deep that they could not see where they lead to, but they might as well have fallen to the other side of the world.  Miyu wove a spell around herself quickly to maintain her balance, but even then it was not an easy task.  Behind them, the magical shield that was standing between Caial and the lower levels flickered, failing for a moment before reappearing, but only a mere ghost of its former strength.  At this point, even if it was still up, Caial could tear it down with no problems.

This was it.  It was now or never.

"I'm going!" Miyu shouted over her shoulder, and ignoring Ranka's cries for her to stop, she jumped cat-like from boulder to crumbling boulder, closing in on the Queen of the Quarls.  

Out of the corner of her eye, Caial saw a flash of white and red, and the young vampire hurtling her way.  A sinister smile crossed her lips.  "Are you really that stupid?" She called out to Miyu.  "I can defeat you in one shot!  That's it, come closer…"  Caial, however, never had a chance to carry through what she had intended for the little vampire.  The air thickened and became saturated with the weaving of a very powerful energy spell, the type of spell that was constructed for one purpose; to be used as a weapon against another.  And it felt like it was coming from…

With a sickening thud that sounded like a mallet hitting a watermelon, the spell hit Caial full-force in her back before she had a chance to defend herself, tearing through flesh and bone as it cut through her body like a super-heated, giant sword.  Caial was stunned speechless as her blood poured out of her like a waterfall, thick and black, the putrid odor of Quarl blood staining the air and making the closer of the Shinma's eyes water.  Everyone else was just as stunned as the witch was; none of them had thrown that blow, they had all been too weak to conjure something of that strength.  Miyu looked desperately for their savior like the others, hardly noticing when she was wrenched off her feet when someone grabbed her under her arms from behind.

"Just what the hell were you thinking, Miyu?"  Spartoi scolded her angrily, pulling her back away from Caial in case the witch came to her senses and attacked Miyu in retaliation, but Miyu was not paying attention.  Her face had split into a wide, happy smile as she saw just who it was who had delivered that fatal blow to Caial.  

"Larva!"  She called out, feeling more relief flood her veins than in the last few days.  It was as if seeing him restored what hope they had lost, which made them feel better than they had in what felt like a very, very long time.  Larva, however, did not seem to be sharing their enthusiasm, and through their bond, Miyu felt the utmost feelings of sadness, despair, and guilt.  Something horrible had happened to him in his absence, and she knew that it was only their dire crisis that made him return.  _Larva?  What happened to…_

_                Miyu…he sent back through their bond, and it was then that she noticed that there was something clenched in his hand.  __This is Caial's weakness!  He held the object at arm's length, and Miyu could see a fist-sized stone in his hand, which was slightly wet with that horribly looked like blood.  _

"That stone…?"  Miyu questioned slowly, wondering what the hey it had to do with the battle.  The other Shinma looked just about as confused as she felt.

In the moment of their confusion, Cait Sith had run to his injured mother's side, a look of utmost panic and sorrow on his face.  Had he not been their mortal enemy, the other Shinma might have felt sorry for him.  "Mama… What happened?"

Caial coughed, sending up another wave of thick black blood.  "That lightning…" She wheezed through a gathering mouthful of blood.  "And in Larva's hand right now is…a part of me!"

Rage and hate flashed simultaneously in Cait Sith's eyes as he glared up at the blue-haired man standing above them, the same emotions reflecting in those red orbs as he glared back down at the fallen Quarls.  "Larva!  How dare you…"

"Pa…zusu…" Caial choked out.  "When he tried to destroy my monument, he must have sealed part of it inside his body!  Damn you, Pazusu…"

"Pazusu did this for Larva?" Cait Sith asked, as if he was unable to grasp the reality of what was happening.  "That thing…is enough to kill my Mama…" Trembling in rage, Cait Sith clenched his fist hard enough so his long, claw-like nails bit painfully into his flesh, but he took no notice.  The pain of realizing that his mother could die again was enough to drown out all physical ache.  "Pazusu…damn you…"  He snapped his head up, red eyes blazing with pure, cold hatred.  "_Larva!_"  Before Caial could do anything to stop him, Cait Sith had launched himself off where he was sitting, hurtling towards Larva with the unstoppable force of a bullet train.  "_GIVE ME THAT, LARVA!"_

The sight of Cait Sith rushing at him did not even cause Larva to flinch as he glared back down at the man, the same venomous expression on his face.  Eyes narrowed, Larva held the stone high above his head and with a surge of energy, crushed it to dust between his fingers.

Cait Sith screamed, a howl that could have well come from a badly wounded animal as his mother cringed, falling hard to her hands as blood poured out of her even more quickly now, taking her life force with it.  "_I won't forgive you for this, you bastard!" Cait Sith screamed before charging Larva like an out-of-control animal, claws and teeth bared.  _

Larva met Cait Sith's insane eyes in a remarkable cool and collected manner, but his eyes still blazed with a raging inferno.  "That was my line, Cait Sith."  He hissed softly to the Quarl, hardly daring the blink as the dark-skinned man unleashed an unstoppable wave of cat-headed wraiths at Larva.  The attack, in Cait Sith's blind fit of rage, was uncollected and sloppy, allowing Larva to easily dodge each screaming apparition as he leapt from his stony perch, rushing to meet Cait Sith head-on…

Their paths crossed, and Larva had the upper hand…quite literally.  He drove his inch-long claws straight into Cait Sith's gut, sending up a thick wave of black blood that splattered to the ground below.  With a look of utmost shock on his face, unable to comprehend what happened as he fell back down to the earth.  Caial's screams to her son were like nails being raked across a slate.  

"Now's our chance!"  Miyu called out to the others, shaking herself free from Spartoi's grasp.  "Everyone, let's get her!"  Their weakened state made it more difficult to gather a lot of energy, fast, to deliver the final blow, and it was this wearing themselves down to near-exhaustion that proved to be their one huge, fatal mistake.

Caial glared daggers at the Shinma standing around her, the heat of rage radiating from her body like a bonfire.  Despite her wounds, she slowly pulled herself to her feet, blood still slashing in great drops at her feet.  "You fools…" she hissed, sounding like a venomous snake ready to strike.  "Do you honestly think that you will be able to defeat _me so easily?"  The world began to darken, as if a sheet was lain across the sun as the wind picked up violently, whipping hair and clothing around at a frightening speed.  It was almost enough to nearly knock some of the smaller Shinma off of their feet, tumbling loose rocks and boulders around them as if they were mere pebbles.  Then it looked as if the very realm split open behind the Quarl queen; a rip in the time-space continuum, a portal that served as a pathway between dimensions.  _

"No!"  Ranka cried in anguish.  "She's going to jump dimensions!  They're going to get away!  Stop them, now!"  What followed next was a flurry of spells of just about every shape and size, thrown at the devil queen with the remaining strength that their casters could manage, but it all went for naught as they were just reflected back at them.  Miyu felt a sense of utter dread take hold of her soul; Caial was escaping, but escaping _where_?  From what she heard from the others, there were hundreds, _thousands_ of other worlds, they would never find her again…

"This isn't over yet, Vampire!  We will finish this another time!"

The world around them exploded into an inferno of rock and fire that knocked them all off their feet, pummeling them with shards of razor-sharp shrapnel, heaving up huge chunks of earth that knocked them clean off their feet…  Miyu was unable to see anything but the fire that erupted before her very eyes, only barely aware of the strong arms that wrapped around her body to protect her from the deadly rain.  The very air seemed to howl as the earth below them writhed like a wounded animal, thrashing and groaning in pain, and for a few horrible moments it seemed as if all hope was lost before everything once again became still and deathly silent.  She was hesitant to look out beyond the black cloak that, afraid of seeing the amount of damage that the final blow had inflicted upon the Japanese Shinma realm.

The land around them was almost unrecognizable by the time Caial's final spell had died out.  What was once a golden field on the edge of a great green forest was now completely desolate of any type of flora or fauna and replaced by charred black boulders, smoldering as if they had been on fire.  The other Shinma were looking just as bad as the land around them, and Miyu felt as bad as they looked.  They were all cut and bleeding from numerous wounds on their body.  Night Gia was clutching his arm, grimacing in pain and the membranes of one of Yoshi's wings hung in bloody tatters.  Clothing was black and singed, and the feathers on Kia's wings were crumpled and stuck up at odd angels.  They were all leaning on each other for support, and all of them wore the same look on their faces; they all looked totally and hopelessly defeated.  Caial and Cait Sith were completely gone, disappeared into the dimensional wormhole, with only pools of black blood suggesting that they were there at all.

Miyu pulled away from Larva, unable to take her eyes away from the scenery that spread out below her.  It looked, for a lack of better words, like the Finger of God had come down from the sky and smudged them into the earth.  And worse of all, Caial had gotten away.  She had failed in her duty to protect the realm, as she was always told to do.  She could not remember the last time she had felt this horrible.  Then she realized, if not in a very numb sense, that the horrible feeling was not all her own, and she remembered the emotions that flooded between the bond between her and Larva when he returned.

"Larva…?"  Miyu began timorously, fearing she already knew the answer to her question.  "Are…are you okay?"

Larva hesitated before his answer, but she could see in his eyes that he was anxious to tell her what it was that was bothering him, and it was only the dire situation that had just taken place that made him wait this long before saying anything now.  "…no.  I'm sorry I took so long, Miyu, but it was my fa…  It was Pazusu."  His attempt to hide the word "father" from her was a feeble attempt, and his voice shook with emotion.  Miyu clutched his sleeve, urging him to continue.  "He's dying, Miyu.  The stone that was used against Caial…was sealed inside his body, and so for us to use it, he had to…"

Fear seized Miyu's heart when the full realization of what he was saying crashed into her.  Whatever it was he had to do to get that stone, Pazusu was paying for it with his life.  Even through the torment, the pain that they caused her in the past few days, Miyu's conscience screamed at her that she had to do something to help, if it was not too late already.  The bond between her guardian and the older Western Shinma went beyond the boundaries of colleges, or of student and master…it was painful obvious to her that they had a father-to-son relationship, and no one knew better than her the pain of loosing the only parent you had.

"How long can he hold out?"  Miyu asked in a stern voice, ignoring the blood that was trickling down her temple and creeping into her eye.  

"Not much longer, if he's made it to now…"  Larva said quietly, not looking her in the face.  "He's a strong man, Pazusu, but with a wound like that…"

"Then what are we waiting for?"  Miyu all but exploded, the building frustration and weariness inside of her finally just giving way to plain irritation.  He tone was enough to make Larva look up at her in mild shock, as if he was not expecting her sudden enthusiasm to help her former enemy.  "There's obviously nothing more we can do here, so now the only option left to us is to go back and see if there's anything we can do to help him!  We can ask Mori; if anyone knows, it will be her!  Where is he?"

"In…in the Fourth Layer…"

Miyu turned her back to him, and called out to the others; "Everyone!  We have an emergency situation on our hands!  Report to the Fourth Layer, immediately!"

"'Emergency situation?'" Amy squawked back at her, an expression of disbelief clearly visible under the blood and dust that covered him head to foot.  "And what was that we just got done with, a warm up?"

"Don't ask questions, just go!"  Miyu yelled back, and before any of them had a chance to respond, not even Larva, she was gone, Gated back to the Fourth Layer of the Japanese Shinma realm before any of them had a chance to blink.

*                                                                             *                                                                                            *

Through the haze of pain and fever Pazusu was just barely able to make out the shadowy forms of several Shinma standing over him.  They were talking, but he could not understand what they were saying.  How long had to been since Larva left to rejoin the battle? It seemed like such a long time ago, and he could not hold out much longer…

"This is bad."  Ranka said as she bent low to inspect Pazusu's wound.  His head was resting on Carlua's lap, and the blonde's face was tear-streaked, her eyes red from crying.  Yoto was near by, his cape torn into strips that he used to try to stop the bleeding.  "A weaker soul would have died long ago, but he is fading fast.  I am sorry, but even in my healing experience, there is nothing I can do."  

It was looking bad for the older man.  His face was chalk-white, drenched with sweat and his entire middle was drenched in dark blood, even through the wrappings that Yoto applied.  Kia took one look at the wound, moaned softly and turned quickly away from the group, her brother not far behind her.  Somewhere in the trees, Miyu could hear a faint retching sound.  The other Western Shinma standing around looked panic-stricken, all white as sheet and unwilling to accept that their once proud and strong master was now dying before their very eyes.

THE VERY ESSENSE OF THE QUARL'S BODY IS A POWERFUL POISON.  Mori said silently as she stepped from the shadows.  No one knew that she was there, nor how long she had been listening.  Her voice was calm despite the situation, as if she could care less whether Pazusu died or not.  IT BURNS ITS WAY DEEP DOWN INTO THE SOUL, PROLONGING DEATH AND MAKING IT A VERY PAINFUL PROCESS.  THERE IS VERY LITTLE THAT CAN BE DONE.

"Mori!"  Miyu exclaimed in an almost scolding tone, then casting a quick glance over her shoulder, approached the Elder so she could speak to her a little more privately.  "Is there nothing we can do?  If he dies, then the Western Shinma are as good as stranded here, and Larva…he's like a father to Larva, we have to at least try!"

MIYU, YOU DO NOT YET UNDERSTAND THE WAY OF THE QUARLS.  NORMAL POTIONS AND HEALING MAGIC WILL DO NOTHING FOR THE POISON AND THE TAINT THAT IT LEAVES BEHIND.  THERE IS NOTHING IN THE POWER OF YOU OR YOUR FRIENDS THAN CAN SAVE THIS MAN.  

"No, maybe _we_ can't, but you're different than us!"  Miyu said desperately, almost willing to beg to get the information that they needed from the Elder.  "You know more about the ways of the Shinma than all of us put together!  Please Mori, you _know_ how we can help him!  Remember, if it wasn't for him, then the Quarls would have destroyed this realm during the first Shinma Wars, and he just now helped weaken Caial!  If it wasn't for him, she would be in the Fifth Layer by now!  And I need to do this for Larva, I can't just sit back and let his father die!  Please, for the honor of debt, please tell us how we can help!"

Mori closed her golden eyes for a moment, and Miyu could almost see the internal conflict that was surly taking place inside her mind.  If Pazusu died, then it was one less Western Shinma in the world.  However, Miyu was right; he was the one who had warned them of Caial's coming in the first Shinma Wars, and it was he who gave them the stone that proved to be Caial's weakness.  To let him die after that would be cowardly and dishonorable.  Finally, after what felt like long hours of waiting, she opened her eyes again, golden orbs boring straight into golden orbs as she looked Miyu straight in the eye.

THERE IS A WAY.

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To be continued…

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**Author's Note:** I know it was a short chapter, but it's better than nothing, right?  I'll try not to take so long on the next part (which is the last chapter for part one), but no promises.  As stated before, this story will be finished, I'm just not the fastest at doing it.  I also have a shit-load of other fanfics and original stories that have to be written and started, so time has to be divided accordingly.  If I had the discipline, I would type a page on each a day, but unfortunately, I don't have that.  On that note, as much as you guys like it, _Final Fantasy: Sole Summoning_ has hit such a block that, as of now, it's on hold, so don't be expecting any new chapters out any time soon.  I am, however, starting a new one entitled _Rebirth Flame_, so keep your eyes peeled for that.  It's another AU fantasy version of Miyu (I will write a good one someday, dammit), and once I get the beginning worked out a little more that'll go to work.

Last note:  No, Caial does not get away in the original manga.  From here on out, I have broken away from the original manga, and part two is entirely about the search for the Quarls.  I know that those were fatal wounds they both had, but Quarls are tough little buggers, and they won't die so easily.  And I know that Miyu was out of character in that last part, so don't flame me for it.  I know she's not the real pleading type, but it's not exactly something that you can take calmly, you know?

Until next time.


End file.
